Technology helps police "bust" felony suspects

We’re six months into an initiative that is bringing residents and police together to solve crimes, and it’s working just like we’d hoped.

We launched the Busted page on our web site in November 2019. This web page features suspects who have been caught on camera committing felony crimes, everything from burglaries to shootings. Previously, these pictures and video had only been circulated internally at KCPD or with other area law enforcement. Detectives are now sharing them with the public to get as many as eyes as possible to identify suspects and close cases. With the proliferation of security cameras, many more cases now feature video and photos as pieces of evidence.

All cases are felony-level, and therefore eligible for rewards through the TIPS Hotline. Each Busted case features a link to the online, anonymous TIPS submission form. Tips leading to an arrest will be eligible for anonymous cash rewards. Each case is featured on the Busted page for 30 days.

We’ve had some really good success with Busted. It’s hard to put a number on crimes it’s solved, because often identifying a suspect is just the beginning of an investigation. Anecdotally, about 20 to 25% of the cases featured on Busted result in a suspect getting identified. I’ll share a few success stories with you:

Within days of us launching Busted, a tip helped detectives pin down an identify thief who had used someone else’s identity to fraudulently purchase vehicles. 

Charges were recently filed in a case in which two men assaulted and stole money from a victim who had just withdrawn it from an ATM at a convenience store. A tipster who saw it on Busted helped identify a suspect who was wearing a not-so-subtle pink “Golden Girls” shirt.

Busted also has helped us identify felony-level shoplifters ...

 burglars ...

and even shooters in aggravated assaults ... 

Cases are added regularly, so I encourage you to check back on the page often.

Busted is one of several initiatives we’ve embarked on to more directly involved Kansas Citians in solving crime. Another is our WatchKC program, in which residents can let us know they have security cameras so we can contact them in an event there is a crime in their neighborhood with which video evidence could help.

As technology expands, we look forward to offering more of these crime-fighting partnership opportunities with you in the future. 

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

A simple way you can help solve and prevent crime in KC

One of my primary goals upon taking the Chief of Police position was for our department to become more efficient and effective through partnerships. I can’t think of a better example of that than our new WatchKC program. Since we launched it last month, owners of more than 400 surveillance cameras have committed to making Kansas City safer by registering those cameras with WatchKC.

One of the first things our detectives look for when investigating a crime is if there were any security cameras in the area that may have captured what happened. It’s an incredibly valuable investigative tool that is usually irrefutable in court. And because security camera technology is getting better and cheaper, more and more people and businesses are getting them.

When a crime happens, investigators have to canvass the area on foot looking to see if there are any nearby cameras in plain sight, often walking door-to-door. This process can take hours or even days, depending on how spread out the crime scene is and whether there were other events that may have led up to the crime.

The new WatchKC program allows residents and businesses to register with us that they have a security camera, and the address where it’s located. We’ll then put those locations on a map with each person’s contact information, and only specific investigative elements at KCPD will have access to that information. They will have no live access to the footage, but they will know where cameras are and whom to contact about possible recordings. Your registration information will be extracted from the submittal form and kept as secure as all other information maintained by KCPD.

WatchKC is a completely VOLUNTARY program, and it will save investigators so much valuable time and allow us to solve cases more quickly. Other cities have implemented similar programs and had great success.

Although a crime may not have happened at your home or business, your camera coverage may have captured evidence of a crime that occurred in your area. Your footage could be used to obtain vital suspect information that would help identify and convict criminals in your community. Residents often ask me and others on the department how they can help the police improve safety in Kansas City. Registering for WatchKC is a very easy but very powerful way for you to do so.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.