Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Police focus on back-to-school safety

You may have heard that Chief Corwin is out sick for a few days, so I – Deputy Chief Cy Ritter – will be posting in his absence. We wish Chief a speedy recovery.

This year more than any in recent memory, we’ve received a lot of phone calls from parents concerned about their kids’ safety as they head back to school. Most of those calls have involved bus stops, but there have been other concerns, as well. Today is the second day of school for the Kansas City Missouri School District, which has undergone a lot of changes. Schools have closed and combined, and younger children are now at bus stops earlier. I want to assure you we’ve been responsive to those changes.

Our Special Operations Division officers are focusing on school zones before and after school to stop speeders and others driving dangerously. On their way to the school zones, they’re stopping by school bus stops and checking on students’ safety. Speaking of bus stops, all patrol officers have been ordered to monitor them before and after school when they’re not responding to 911 calls. These operations are in place at all schools in Kansas City, Mo. – including those north of the River, private schools and those in the Southland.

To address some of the issues specific to the reorganization of the Kansas City School District, police have been meeting with principals throughout the summer to determine what kind of police presence would be necessary at schools. Based on this, we realigned our school resource officers in high schools: there are now two at Southwest, two at Central and two at Northeast. Patrol officers also are paying more attention to schools that have been combined. South Patrol Division, for instance, has made it a special project to ensure the safety of students at the combined Hickman Mills/Ruskin High School.

For the first time this year, we’ve assigned our Mounted Patrol officers to patrol school areas, and we’ve asked all patrol division commanders to pick a school each day to visit and introduce themselves at. Community Interaction Officers also are speaking to community groups about school safety and passing out packets with more information.

Things seem to be going smoothly thus far, and we ask parents to continue to work with their children and schools to provide a safe environment for learning as this school year moves forward.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Man shot in car Monday dies


At about 3:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30, police were called to Swope Parkway and Woodland Avenue on a shooting. Upon arrival, they found 19-year-old Terrence Barkley was located in a dark red Chevy Malibu suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and died this morning. Witnesses say occupants of a white Lincoln Continental were observed shooting at the victim’s vehicle near Swope Parkway and Cleveland Avenue. There are no suspects in custody and anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Escaped sex offender caught after trying to license a car

At 1:46 p.m. today, Kansas City Police and the FBI Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force captured George Dudley, a sexual predator who escaped from a Wyandotte County Courthouse yesterday. Police tracked him down at a convenience store. Just down the street at Truman and Bales, they discovered he had just purchased a green Ford Taurus at a used car dealership. Dudley told the dealership staff he needed a temporary tag and was planning to drive to Kentucky. The staff pointed him toward the license bureau at Independence and Sterling and later told police about their contact with Dudley. Sure enough, officers found him in the DMV parking lot with three other people in the car - two homeless men and a man with a Kentucky parole violation. Police took Dudley and the parole violator into custody without incident.

Monday, August 30, 2010

K2 is now illegal in Missouri

As of Saturday, Aug. 28, the substance popularly known as K2 became illegal in Missouri, under House Bill 1472. Missouri is the fifth state in the nation to make the sale or possession of K2 illegal. K2 is a mixture of dried herbs that is sprayed with a synthetic substance similar to the active ingredient in marijuana. Our Crime Lab is working now to develop a field test for it.

The penalties for selling or possessing K2 are now the same as selling or possessing marijuana - a class A misdemeanor for possessing less than 35 grams (punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine); or a Class C felony for possession of 35 grams or more (punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $5,000 fine).

The law adds K2 to a list of controlled substances under Schedule 1, which are "classified as having a high potential for abuse and having no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or lacking accepted safe use in treatment under medical supervision," according to state statute.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Friday, August 27, 2010

Feedback from Citizen Satisfaction Survey Helps KCPD Improve Services

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department began a new initiative a year and a half ago to promote open communication between the police and residents and to get feedback on our services.

We asked the commanders at each of the patrol divisions to follow up with surveys after police officers respond to calls. They created their own surveys and conducted a random sampling.

Residents really appreciate the follow-up, and the majority of people surveyed give us positive feedback—regardless if they are the victim or the suspect. In the last 60 days, we surveyed 797 incidents and of those, 97.5 percent were positive. For example, one resident told the commander that the response time of the KCPD was outstanding and they believe it prevented a shooting. Another resident (who happened to be a suspect in a crime) was surveyed and said he wasn’t happy about being arrested but was pleased with the way he was treated.

This was a new experience for both our commanders and residents. For years, the culture at the police department was focused more on crime prevention than on citizen satisfaction. Many residents were surprised when the police called them to ask if they were satisfied with our services.

Our goal is to have 100 percent follow up on all property crimes and domestic violence incidents and we get closer to that goal each month.

It has helped change the culture of the department and make us more focused on community satisfaction. Thanks to honest feedback from residents, we’re providing better service and I know that we’ll continue to see improvement.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Officers have knack for catching burglars in the act


This morning I presented Certificates of Commendation to Officers Rick Hulme and Daniel Quiles, who work in our East Patrol Division. As you'll read in their story below, they've developed quite a talent for interrupting burglaries in progress and catching the perpetrators:

In one week, Officers Rick Hulme and Daniel Quiles interrupted three burglaries in progress and arrested five suspects.

Their streak started on January 22, 2010, at a vacant hotel in the 7900 block of East 40 Highway. They saw a truck backed up to the hotel’s maintenance doors. As they approached, they saw a man start running. Officer Hulme took off after him while Officer Quiles went after a man who’d gone running in another direction. The officers got both of the suspects into custody and discovered they’d broken into the hotel and had stripped a significant amount of copper power lines out of the building, causing significant damage. The owner of the building wanted to prosecute, and both suspects were charged.

Six days later on January 28, 2010, Officers Hulme and Quiles were dispatched to 31st and Bellefontaine about a business burglary in progress. They arrived quickly but kept quiet so as not to scare off any potential suspects. They found a truck backed through a roll-up garage door on the front of a tire store. They asked for additional officers and then approached the garage door. They surprised two suspects who were attempting to steal and load a new engine into the bed of their truck. They took the suspects into custody without incident.

The very next day, January 29, 2010, Officers Hulme and Quiles saw a pending call for service in the 5100 block of Raytown Road about another potential non-residential burglary in progress. They started heading that way before being dispatched. They met with the manager of Croft Trailers who said he’d received an alarm call, and the building had been broken into before. The officers found a point of entry for suspects and requested a canine unit to help search the building because it was so large. A short time after a canine officer and dog arrived, the suspect fled from the building on foot and was taken into custody by Officer Quiles and his supervisor.

Sergeant Scott Simons said Officers Hulme and Quiles “have seemed to develop a knack for interrupting burglaries in progress.” In the seven months before this January 2010 streak, they’d interrupted and made arrests in four other burglaries.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Enroll now for the fall 2010 Kansas City Missouri Citizens Police Academy

UPDATE, Sept. 2: The fall 2010 session of the KCPD Citizens Police Academy is full. Thanks for your interest! Another session will take place in spring 2011, and we'll announce it here.
__________________________________________________

The next course of the KCPD Citizens Police Academy begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Kansas City Regional Police Academy, 6885 N.E. Pleasant Valley Road. This free class meets for 10 weeks, three hours each Thursday night, and explains how KCPD works. Participants also take field trips to places like the Helicopter and Canine Units, Bomb and Arson Unit and the Kansas City Regional Crime Laboratory. Experienced police officers and instructors offer briefings, demonstrations, and engage in frank discussions about police operations with class participants. All participants also will go on a ride-along with a patrol officer.

Topics covered during the Citizens Police Academy include overviews of our department structure, information on police recruiting and training and hands-on workshops in various areas. Some of the areas explored include:

Accident Investigation
Bomb & Arson
Criminal Investigations
Firearms Training
Helicopter Unit
Homicide
Hostage Negotiation
K-9 Unit
Narcotics Investigations
Police Dispatch - 911 Service
Tactical Response Teams
Vice Investigations

The Citizens Police Academy operates on the premise that informed, educated residents will be more supportive of police officers and promote safety in their communities. Admission to the program is open to anyone 18 or older who lives or works in Kansas City, Mo., has good standing in the community and can pass a criminal background investigation.

Click here for more information, and here for the application.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Monday, August 23, 2010

Thank you, City Council, for putting sales tax continuation on November ballot

We want to take this opportunity to thank the Kansas City Council for unanimously voting to put the extension of the public safety sales tax on the November 2 ballot. Through the leadership of Public Safety and Neighborhoods Committee Chair Cathy Jolly, the Council recognized the capital projects and technology the police department needs to fight crime more effectively. As Councilwoman Jolly said, “These projects will make a tangible difference in public safety in our city.”

Some of the projects to be included in the tax include new East and North patrol division stations, a new crime lab, new helicopters, a new radio system, new vehicles and technology that will push us further and further into intelligence-based policing. In addition to police needs, the tax will fund modernization of the city’s ambulance fleet and emergency operations costs like tornado sirens.

The Council approved putting a 15-year extension of the quarter-cent sales tax on the ballot. They also approved a funding mechanism, general obligation bonds, to move construction projects forward as soon as possible.

Since 2002, this public safety tax has funded a sixth patrol division station – Shoal Creek Patrol – to serve the ever-growing Northland population; a new police academy to create better trained officers; a new Metro Patrol Division Station to replace the small, crumbling structure on 63rd Street; and new South Patrol and Special Operations Division Stations, which are being designed now. I thank the taxpayers for their graciousness in approving this tax eight years ago, and I thank the City Council for once again giving Kansas City residents the opportunity to show their support of high-quality public safety in their community.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Friday, August 20, 2010

Second Narcotics and Vice Quarterly newsletter discusses PCP, gang initiatives

The Narcotics and Vice Division has produced the second edition of their new newsletter, Narcotics and Vice Quarterly. This one covers April through June 2010 and includes stories about the increased amounts of PCP officers are seeing, a busted drug trafficking ring and illegal party houses. It also has statistics about how many arrests the Division has made, how many search warrants they've served, and how much drugs, money and guns they have recovered.

If you suspect narcotics activity in your neighborhood, call 816-474-DRUG.

DUI laws get tougher amid enforcement crack down Aug. 20 - Sept. 6

Kansas City Police are joining law enforcement agencies around the state and nation for a crack down on drunk driving Aug. 20 through Sept. 6, but state law is going to change right in the middle of this enforcement effort that will make drunk driving more costly than ever before.

On August 28, Missouri’s new Driving While Intoxicated legislation takes effect. This law does several things, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) Division of Highway Safety. It will:

• Increase jail time for repeat DWI offenders and those with higher blood alcohol levels (0.15 percent or more – a fifth of those arrested for DWI in Kansas City in the first six months of 2010 fell into this category)

• Move more cases from municipal courts to state courts, where penalties can be tougher

• Mandate better record-keeping for DWI cases so that repeat offenders can be properly tracked; and

• Offer offenders opportunities to participate in a DWI court program that incorporates treatment and close monitoring instead of going to jail.

So if you’re caught driving intoxicated, you’ll be more likely to face charges in state court and more likely to go to jail, especially if it’s a repeat offense and/or your blood alcohol level is above 0.15 percent.

Beginning today, Kansas City Police will be conducting saturation patrols (wolf packs), sobriety checkpoints and taking other initiatives to really crack down on intoxicated drivers. Law enforcement agencies nationwide will be doing the same. This special enforcement effort lasts until Sept. 6, but police are always on the look-out for impaired drivers who can harm others or themselves. With this new law, it could cost you more than ever before, so please designate a sober driver.


Thursday, August 19, 2010

Man killed at KC North apartments identified


At about 10:34 p.m. yesterday, Aug. 18, officers were called to the 6200 block of North Pennsylvania to investigate a shooting. When they arrived, they found 19-year-old Evangel Douglas of Kansas City, Mo., dead inside a residence. There are no suspects in custody and anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Watch for children as school starts again

As you know, many schools throughout Kansas City, Mo., are starting up again, and that means you need to watch for children in the roadways, buses, and pay special attention to school zones. Check out this short video with some of our safety tips:


Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Have a police roll call at your house

Last month, KCTV 5 ran a nice story about our officers holding a roll call in front of a woman's home near 35th and Prospect. It described how the woman wanted to send a message to her neighborhood that crime would not be tolerated there. I blogged about our efforts to do roll calls like this in June.

Some of our community roll calls are scheduled in advance, but officers would be happy to show up on your front porch and conduct their beginning-of-shift roll call if you invite them, just like they did in the Channel 5 story. To do this, call or e-mail the shift commander at the patrol division in which you live (their contact information is listed under each patrol division's page at http://www.kcpd.org/) and say you'd like police to hold a roll call at your home or business. We think it's a great way to get to know you, your neighbors, and learn about any crime problems your neighborhood might be experiencing.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Monday, August 16, 2010

Supporting Crimestoppers

Today was the 16th Annual Crime Stoppers Bill Grigsby Golf Classic to raise money for TIPS cash payouts. Did you know all the reward money offered by the TIPS Hotline is from donations and fund-raisers like these? Since its inception in 1982, Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers has assisted in 9,650 felony arrests, cleared more than 22,900 crimes, paid out more than $1.1 million in rewards and recovered more than $22.3 million worth of drugs and stolen property. None of this would have been possible without the help of generous community members like you.

Crime Stoppers is a worthwhile program that has helped KCPD and other area law enforcement agencies solve some of our toughest cases. Tips are taken and rewards are given completely anonymously. And the program has expanded beyond just the TIPS Hotline (816-474-TIPS). You can now send text message tips by texting "TIP452" plus your message to CRIMES (274637); or submit a tip online at http://www.kccrimestoppers.com/.

If you couldn't make it out to today's golf tournament but still want to support Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers, click here to learn how.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Man killed in 5500 block of Michigan identified


At about 4:31 a.m. Sunday, August 15, officers were called to the 5500 block of Michigan on a shooting. When they arrived, they found 29-year-old Ephriam R. Prewitt dead in front of the residence. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Friday, August 13, 2010

Man killed at 24th and Quincy last night identified

At about 2:38 a.m. today, August 13, police were called to 24th and Quincy on a shooting. When officers arrived, they found 27-year-old Kenny R. Warren of Kansas City, Mo., lying on the sidewalk, deceased. Officers spoke with a security guard who had driven through the area and saw Warren on the sidewalk on 24th Street, just east of Quincy. He tried to talk to Warren but realized he was unresponsive and called police. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Mr. Warren's is Kansas City's 68th homicide of 2010.

Meet your newest KCPD officers


KCPD Entrant Officer Class 141 graduated last night from the Kansas City Regional Police Academy, and they'll hit the streets this weekend. They have been assigned to the Central, East, Metro and South patrol divisions. They'll spend their first few months on patrol with a tenured Field Training Officer.

There were 25 graduates altogether, and they began their training back on January 25, 2010. Here's how they break down demographically:

23 males, 2 females
20 white, 4 black, 1 Hispanic

I'm very proud of these new officers and wish them the best of luck.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Kansas City Police release audits on vehicle pursuits and take-home cars

PRESS RELEASE:

Kansas City Police have reduced their take-home vehicle fleet to the lowest level in seven years, and officers were involved in a total of 105 vehicular pursuits in 2009, according to audits released today by the Internal Audit Unit.

The annual take-home vehicle audit showed the department reduced its take-home vehicle fleet by 52. A total of 373 vehicles were assigned as take-home in 2009, compared to 425 in 2008. This is the smallest amount of take-home vehicles the department has had since 2002.

The vehicle pursuit audit found that KCPD was involved in 105 vehicular pursuits in 2009. The leading reason was because of clear and immediate danger. Only one police car was damaged in these pursuits, but 53 non-police cars were damaged. No police officers were injured in 2009 pursuits, and the department did not pay out any money for litigation involving these pursuits. The audit found the department concludes vehicular pursuits in one of two ways: deploying a tire deflation device or waiting for the pursued vehicle to stop. Auditors recommended the department look into using the PIT maneuver (Pursuit Immobilization Technique) to end pursuits, but commanders decided against it. This audit will now be done annually.

The full audit reports are available online. For more information about the audits, contact Internal Audit Unit Manager Thomas Gee at 816-889-6051.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Police looking for two missing men

Two men have been reported missing to Kansas City Police in the last two days, and we hope you can help us find them. Their cases are not related.

Joshua Saluto

Joshua J. Saluto, 30, has not been seen since August 2 when he was on foot in the 700 block of Winchester. He is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a blue plaid shirt.

Sean Lewis

Sean D. Lewis, 37, was last seen August 9 at about 5:45 p.m. He was driving a green 2008 Volvo S40 four-door with Kansas license plate 188-CBE. He is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs about 185 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

The families of both men are concerned for their safety. If you know where they are, please call KCPD's Missing Persons Section at 816-234-5136.

Suspicious death in 3200 block of Victor ruled a homicide

At about 1:06 a.m. Monday, August 9, officers were called to the 3200 block of Victor on a cutting. The call was updated to a possible shooting. When police arrived, they spoke with the victim's son. He said he'd come home and found his father, 58-year-old Otis W. Pratt, dead. The death has now been ruled a homicide. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

KCPD sergeant represents Missouri in Special Olympics run


A neat story from our Informant newsletter recognizes the dedication of one of our sergeants to the Special Olympics. Check out her story:


Sergeant Bernadette Bond’s Special Olympics journey started with a blind skier from St. Louis and culminated in her being the first KCPD member ever to represent the state on the way to the organization’s National Games.

About seven years ago, Sergeant Bond of the Robbery Unit volunteered to present medals to Special Olympics athletes who competed in winter sports at Snow Creek in Weston, Mo. That’s where she met the blind skier.

“She said, ‘I’m so glad to see you guys here,’ – to see us – because she said, ‘Law enforcement has done so much so I can do what I do,’” Sergeant Bond said.
From that moment on, Sergeant Bond was hooked. She now helps coordinate and participates in Special Olympics fund-raisers, sells merchandise and goes to as many sporting events as she can.

“Law enforcement, we’re the grassroots of the Special Olympics,” she said. “We raise the most money to help. … The athletes are so excited about us, too. ”
Sergeant Bond’s work did not go unnoticed. She was selected by Missouri Special Olympics to represent the state in the Final Leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run. With officers and athletes from 47 other states, they made their way from Ames, Iowa, to the National Summer Games in Lincoln, Neb., on July 18, stopping at 70 towns along the way to tell everyone what Special Olympics meant to them. Sergeant Bond helped athletes run the Olympic torch all along the route.

“It’s kind of just obvious sometimes, with their spirit and contribution,” said Susan Stegeman of Sergeant Bond’s selection to represent Missouri in the Final Leg. Stegeman is the Chief Development Officer for Special Olympics Missouri. “It all game together, and it was Bernadette Bond.”

Sergeant Bond said the most meaningful part of the whole experience for her was getting to know Ronnie, a 36-year-old Special Olympian from Columbia, Mo., who rode with her to Ames and back. His mother died at a young age, and he’d grown up in group homes. He lives independently now, but he told Sergeant Bond the only people in his life who care about him were his coaches and friends from Special Olympics. He was very emotional about being selected as the athlete to represent Missouri in the Final Leg.

“He kept saying, ‘I can’t believe God has blessed me to be recognized here,’” Sergeant Bond said.

He spoke at several stops on the run, but he didn’t prepare a speech. Sergeant Bond said he spoke from his heart every time, and it was very moving. The Final Leg was the first time in his life Ronnie had left Missouri.

The officers and athletes ran – and sometimes rode in an RV – from town to town with the torch in the blazing heat from July 10-18. They spent the nights in college dormitories and got to know one another well.

“There was an emotional high,” Sergeant Bond said. “… I miss those guys.”
Sergeant Bond said she is now like a mother to Ronnie and is making him a scrapbook of their experience.

Sergeant Bond wasn’t the only KCPD officer to wish the athletes well as they went to the National Summer Games, which take place every four years. All of Missouri’s competitors stopped for lunch at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and were escorted out of town by Kansas City Police officers. Special Olympics is the charity of choice for law enforcement nationwide.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Officers buy air conditioner for elderly robbery victim

KMBC Channel 9 did a really heart-warming story about three of our officers who went beyond the call of duty to help an 80-year-old robbery victim. She was attacked and robbed in her own doorway by two teenagers to whom she used to give candy. Both of those teens are in custody. But upon arriving to the scene, officers were further concerned that the victim had no air-conditioning, so they bought her a unit out of their own pockets. Please check out the story.

Deadly weekend in Kansas City

Three homicides took place this weekend in Kansas City, and police are investigating another suspicious death this morning in the 3200 block of Victor. More information on that will be released when it becomes available.

The first homicide this weekend took place at 1:43 a.m. August 7 in the 2600 block of Poplar. Police found 16-year-old Romar Phillips, dead in the yard of a vacant house.  

Then at 5:09 a.m. August 7, police were called to the 3800 block of Baltimore on a shooting. Police found 23-year-old Lance Rutter dead of an apparent gunshot wound.

At 4:03 a.m. August 8, police were called to the 2300 block of Mercier on a shooting. Officers found a victim at Cesar Chavez and Mercier with an apparent injury from a gunshot. The victim refused emergency medical treatment for the non-life-threatening injury. Officers were notified a second victim, who apparently had been shot at the same location, had been taken to a hospital. He later died of his injuries and has been identified as 28-year-old John P. Garcia. Homicide detectives are looking for the suspect vehicle, which is a white Ford Crown Victoria with Kansas plates. It should have fresh front-end damage.

Anyone with information in any of these homicides is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

These murders mark the 64th, 65th and 66th homicides of the year in Kansas City.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Police seek victims of man who has repeatedly exposed himself to women

UPDATE, AUGUST 9: Blakley has been charged with second-degree sexual misconduct in the July 22 grocery store incident, and prosecutors have requested a $25,000 cash-only bond.
_______________________________________________

PRESS RELEASE:

A 27-year-old man is suspected of intimidating and/or exposing himself to three women in the past two weeks, and police want to know if he has victimized others.

Edward Blakley was charged last week in Kansas City Municipal Court with intimidation and filing a false report related to an incident that took place July 25. He approached a 41-year-old woman in a convenience store parking lot in the 10200 block of Wornall and gave her his phone number on a piece of paper. As she drove away, she saw him following her, and she began to feel ill. She pulled into a nearby restaurant and went inside. Blakley followed her in. She said he appeared to be touching himself. She told him she’d called police, and he left. The woman thought the paper may have been laced with drugs, but police think she was suffering from anxiety-related symptoms. She’d thrown the paper away and did not submit to medical tests.

After identifying Blakley in the above case, Kansas City Police realized he also was the likely suspect in a July 22 incident at a grocery store in the 6600 block of Winchester. In that case, a 49-year-old woman was walking to her car to load her groceries into it. She told police a man approached her and asked if she was in a relationship. She said “yes” and kept walking. He asked if she would take his phone number, and she refused. He walked away, and she loaded groceries into her vehicle. Then, the suspect pulled his vehicle behind hers and blocked her in. He told the victim, “You dropped this,” and handed her a piece of paper. When she looked down, she saw he was exposing and touching his genitals. She turned away, and he left. Charges are pending in this incident.

Then, a 46-year-old victim in a neighboring city came forward after seeing media coverage of the July 25 incident in Kansas City. She said that on July 26, she was at a gas station when a man approached her as she was pumping gas at about 11:30 a.m. He asked her if she was married, and she said “yes.” He gave her his phone number on a piece of paper and told her to call him if she was ever single again. She told police she felt safe because the gas station was quite busy, but the man continued to stand by the pump as she waited for her tank to fill up. When she looked down, she realized his genitals were exposed, and he was touching himself. She then saw him take out a cell phone and appear to film or take pictures of her. She told a friend about the incident but did not call police initially until the friend told her about the very similar July 25 incident on the news.

Kansas City Police have Blakley in custody but are concerned there could be more victims. The three known victims were white females in their 40’s whom the suspect approached at businesses. If you were a victim of a similar incident, please call the police department in the city where the incident took place.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Recognizing a brave man who saved another's life


On Tuesday, I presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Greg Cork, a man who did something extraordinarily brave to save the life of a stranger. Here's his story:

Main Street Community Improvement District maintenance attendant Greg Cork literally threw himself under the bus to save a stranger’s life on November 1, 2009.


A Metro bus had just let passengers off at about 3:30 p.m. that day on Main at 39th Street. One of the men who got off was wearing a bicycle helmet because he was prone to seizures. Mr. Cork saw that man stumble and fall beneath the rear wheel of the bus, but the driver did not see this and began to pull forward. With no regard for his own welfare, Mr. Cork dove under the bus and pulled out the man who had fallen. He pulled the man out of his helmet, and as soon as he did, it was crushed by the wheel of the bus. Passengers on the bus then realized what was happening and began screaming for the driver to stop.

The man suffered a severely fractured jaw but was treated and eventually released from an area hospital. Mr. Cork came out unscathed. Sergeant Greg Manning said Mr. Cork’s extraordinarily brave actions saved the life of the man who fell under the bus that day, and he took them even though he was putting himself in jeopardy.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

First half of 2010 brings 170 DUI checkpoint arrests

An interesting statistical analysis of DUI checkpoints from the first six months of this year was presented to our Board of Police Commissioners yesterday. From January 1 to June 30, 2010, Kansas City police stopped a total of 6,944 vehicles at 14 checkpoints. A total of 170 people were arrested for driving while intoxicated – 2.45 percent of all of those stopped. The most common demographic profile of those arrested for DUI was a white male between the ages of 21 and 29.

Age and gender were the areas that showed the greatest statistical differences in DUI arrests. A total of 76.5 percent of the 170 people arrested for DUI in Kansas City this year have been male. And the 21-29 age category far exceeded all others, comprising 52.3 percent of all DUI arrests.

The scariest statistic in this report was the blood alcohol level of those arrested. About one-fifth of those arrested had blood alcohol levels of 0.16% or greater – twice the legal limit or higher. I’m pleased checkpoints like this are keeping these dangerous drivers off the road. But any officer who works these checkpoints will tell you that arrest is actually the tertiary goal. The primary and secondary goals of DUI checkpoints are deterrence and education. Knowing you might get stopped at a checkpoint might prevent you from driving while intoxicated in the first place. Educational information about the dangers of DUI and other risky driving behavior also is passed out to everyone who goes through the checkpoint.

You can see the full report for January through June 2010 below:

Number of checkpoints conducted: 14
Total number of vehicles checked: 6,944
Total DUI arrests made: 170



percent
Asian male
0.00
Asian female
0.59
Black male
23.53
Black female
5.29
Hispanic male
7.65
Hispanic female
0.00
White male
45.29
White female
18.24


Age 16-20
2.94
Age 21-29
52.35
Age 30-39
21.76
Age 40-50
15.88
Age 50 and up
7.06


BAC .06%-.09%
20.00*
BAC .10%-.12%
17.65
BAC .13% -.15%
12.94
BAC .16%-.20%
15.88
BAC .21%-.25%
3.53
BAC .25% and up
0.00

*Percentages do not add up to 100 because 48 arrestees refused the BAC breath test.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Two big decisions from the Board of Police Commissioners today

Two big decisions came out of today’s Board of Police Commissioners meeting that I wanted to tell you about.

The first has been several years in the making: a memorandum of understanding between the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 99 (FOP) and the Board of Police Commissioners. The process had been contentious at times, but we worked through the difficult parts to reach an understanding between rank-and-file officers and the command staff and Board. The MOU recognizes the FOP as the bargaining entity of all sworn personnel at the rank of sergeant or below. This is something that has been an issue for more than a decade, and everyone involved is pleased to have come to this labor management agreement. The Board unanimously approved it. As FOP Lodge 99 President Sergeant Brad Dumit said this morning, “There is nothing now that together we can’t overcome.”

The second big decision was the Board’s resolution regarding the public safety sales tax. The Board voted 4-1 to ask the Kansas City Council to put the renewal of the quarter-cent public safety sales tax on the November ballot. Mayor Mark Funkhouser voted against the resolution because he said he wanted the tax to fund additional police personnel. Police Department staff have recommended against using a sunsetting tax to hire and maintain staff. The resolution approved this morning is to extend the quarter-cent sales tax that is set to expire in 2011 another 15 years. The tax will be used for capital improvements, including the construction of new East and North patrol division stations and a new Crime Lab; remodeling Police Headquarters, a new radio system for all city departments, new helicopters, police vehicles and equipment. The Board decided to make the tax 15 years in length to correspond with the debt service the City already agreed upon for the new city-wide radio system. Staff determined the tax would put enough relief on the City’s general fund to free up money to hire 40 additional officers. The City Council must now approve putting the measure on the November 2010 ballot.

You’ll be hearing more about these things in the future, but I wanted to pass on the major decisions that took place today.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Monday, August 2, 2010

National Night Out Against Crime is tomorrow night at Parade Park

PRESS RELEASE:

Police are encouraging residents to take a stand against crime in their community by joining them at the National Night Out Against Crime from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, in Parade Park, located at Truman Road and Paseo.

“This is a reminder to communities to be mindful of all the ways to prevent crime and to organize, come together, cooperate, communicate and form partnerships with the police department,” said Officer Jason Cooley, Community Interaction Officer in the East Patrol Division.

The family-friendly event will feature KCPD’s helicopter, Bomb & Arson Unit, Mounted Patrol and Canine sections, Police Athletic League, DARE, McGruff the Crime Dog and officers with lots of crime prevention information. Live entertainment, visits from local officials, vendors, a free-throw contest, give-aways and fun activities for kids also will be on hand.

Advanced Auto Parts discounts items for National Night Out

Advanced Auto Parts also has partnered with police throughout the metro area to offer crime prevention-related items at a discount both at the National Night Out Against Crime event and at all their Kansas City-area stores from Aug. 3 through Aug. 10. Some of those items include steering wheel locks (The Club), locking gas caps, locking lug nuts, clear license plate covers and fasteners, and car alarms.