PRESS RELEASE:
Kansas City Missouri Police are engaging area church leaders to reduce crime and increase quality of life in the community.
The Faith-Based Community and Police Forum will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Nov. 19 in the auditorium of the Kansas City Regional Police Academy, 6885 N.E. Pleasant Valley Road. Leaders of all Kansas City, Mo., churches are invited. Before attending, church leaders should fill out this questionnaire by Nov. 6. These answers will guide the discussion. That questionnaire can be submitted by e-mail to lynda.hacker@kcpd.org, or faxed to 816-413-8007. KCPD Chaplains and leaders of the Community Justice Program Unit of the City Manager’s Office also will be present at the Forum.
The Faith-Based Community and Police Forum is part of Chief James Corwin’s plan to address crime in the community holistically.
“As police, we can’t arrest our way out of every problem,” Chief Corwin said. “We need to partner with community members who can bring about societal change, and the faith-based community has the power to do that.”
The Forum aims to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community. It also will try to bring about a better understanding of impediments to communication, trust and partnerships between the two. It further will try to build on current successful initiatives.
After the Forum, church leaders will be invited to meet with Police Department division commanders and staff to discuss issues in their neighborhood, ideas for programs or set up future meeting times.
