July 27, 2024

Submitted by John Gromowsky

Attorney John Gromowsky is running to be the next Jackson County Prosecutor. The current prosecutor, Jean Peters Baker, has decided not to seek re-election.

Gromowsky, a Democrat, has over two decades of experience in the criminal justice system, working as both a prosecutor and a criminal defense lawyer. Gromowsky is currently a violent crimes prosecutor in the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, working on cases related to murders and other violent felonies. He has also been assigned as the Jackson County Drug Task Force Prosecutor and as the community prosecutor for the Kansas City Police Department’s Central Patrol Division. Gromowsky previously worked in the prosecutor’s eastern Jackson County office in Independence, Missouri.

As a defense lawyer, Gromowsky primarily defended people facing charges in federal courts. Because of his training and experience, federal judges appointed Gromowsky to represent people charged in death penalty and potential death penalty cases for trial and on appeal. He was also asked to be among a cadre of instructors who taught trial skills to less experienced attorneys.

“Having served as both a prosecutor and a defense lawyer gives me a unique view of what the role of the Jackson County Prosecutor could be. I want to create an office that is more efficient in how cases are handled, delivering justice sooner to victims,” said Gromowsky. “The primary mission of the prosecutor’s office needs to be the prosecution of felony cases. We certainly have treatment courts and other support systems in place for offenders who are amenable to those services, but people who are violent or who continue to victimize our community over and over again should plan to spend some time away from our community.”

Before becoming a lawyer, Gromowsky was an Airborne and Ranger qualified infantryman in the United States Army. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and DePaul University College of Law. In the community, Gromowsky is a past chair of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s Criminal Law Section as well as a past board member of the bar association.

Gromowsky and his wife, Stacy, have two college-aged daughters and one daughter who is still in high school.

Gromowsky is endorsed by several labor organizations, including firefighters and police unions. He is also endorsed by VoteVets, a national association that promotes military veterans who run for office. Regarding the endorsements, Gromowsky said, “I’m proud of the union support I’ve received, especially from those representing our first responders who are the public safety partners of the prosecutor’s office. The confidence they place in me to help them make Jackson County a safer place to live and work means the world to me.”

The election for Jackson County Prosecutor will be held on August 6, 2024. You will need to ask for a Democratic ballot to vote for John Gromowsky.