The KCPD and our regional partners are ready respond to all critical incidents

We are all still reeling from and horrified by the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history that happened in Las Vegas on Sunday night. That kind of act will never make sense. When something like this happens, we often wonder, “Could that happen to me? Could that happen in Kansas City?” Unfortunately, this is a possibility in any city in America, or in the world.

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department constantly trains for the possibility that it could. You should be confident that the Department is ready to respond to any type of critical incident and to coordinate with regional resources, if necessary.

Obviously, the greatest tool for a critical incident is prevention. We have analysts, officers and detectives working every day to gather and analyze information about individuals and groups that could pose a threat to the safety of our community. They need your help to do this. If something strikes you as suspicious, please give us a call and let us know. We’ve been told to do this with terrorism: “If you see something, say something.” That’s applicable in other criminal areas as well, such as brewing disputes that could escalate into violence. You could save a life by being aware and willing to share your concerns with us.

At this time, it does not appear there was anything law enforcement could have done to prevent what happened in Las Vegas. We know we can’t prevent everything but we can be prepared for it, and we are. Every officer on this department undergoes training for active shooter situations, and our Tactical Response Teams train for critical incidents on a weekly basis. We do regular table-top exercises for mass shootings and other large-scale critical incidents, including natural disasters. We work with many entities on these simulated incidents, such as the Kansas City Fire Department, Public Works, Health Department, Kansas City Power and Light, Spire (formerly MGE) and local hospitals. Just last month, we did a large-scale, two-day, tabletop exercise with critical incident scenarios that included working with hospitals in our region. Kansas City and the surrounding area are prepared.

In addition to our patrol officers, Tactical Response Teams are designed to handle critical incidents, and our teams are on duty day and night. They have numerous tools and equipment to gain access to barricaded active threats, just like the brave officers of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department set out to do when approaching the shooter’s hotel room door on Sunday night. Explosive breaching is one of the tools we have in our toolbox.

One of the great things about the Kansas City area is the level of regional cooperation we enjoy. Were a mass casualty incident to take place anywhere in the metro, we have everything in place to respond to it together within minutes: regional assistance agreements, radio interoperability and experience working together. That’s because we also train and cooperate regionally through agencies like the Mid-America Regional Council and the Metropolitan Tactical Officers Association (MTOA). The state line is irrelevant in critical incidents. The MTOA lobbied both legislators in Kansas and Missouri to change laws to allow officers on both sides of the state line to respond and assist in a critical incident. If a large incident were to take place in a neighboring city – even on the other side of the state line – we stand ready to assist their police department, and we know they are ready to assist us. One phone call or radio transmission is all it would take.

But that is the kind of thing we will do if needed. It’s not typical, but we will work with KCFD to ensure everyone receives the medical care they need as fast as they can. Many things won’t be typical in a mass casualty incident, but all first responders and medical personnel will be coordinating to ensure care is delivered as quickly as possible.

Of course we hope and pray nothing like what happened at Las Vegas or in terrorist attacks around the globe could happen to us or our loved ones, but as law enforcement, we have to be prepared for the possibility. We review these other incidents to see what we can learn and incorporate those lessons into our training and sometimes even into our equipment.

We realize events like this can be traumatizing to many individuals. I’m sure some would think about going to an outdoor concert differently than they did prior to this event. But don’t let evil win. Don’t change your lifestyle or refrain from participating in events you enjoy. Stay vigilant; if you see something say something to help keep others safe, so we all can continue to enjoy the freedom this country offers.

Our hearts are with everyone who was impacted by the horrible events that occurred in Las Vegas, including the first responders who ran toward the gunfire and had to endure such carnage. Rest assured, the members of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department are ready to do the same.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

We're ready for Ferguson grand jury decision

I’ve had a lot of people ask me if the Kansas City Missouri Police Department is ready for the decision of the grand jury in the officer-involved shooting in Ferguson, Mo. The short answer is, “yes.” We’re always ready. We train constantly for critical incidents, and we are prepared to allocate resources wherever needed. We are supposed to receive some advance notice of the grand jury’s decision, but we would be prepared if it happened right now.

We’re not over-preparing because we don’t anticipate any large-scale events of civil disorder. Kansas City has a history of exercising their First Amendment rights in a peaceful manner. On many occasions in recent years, we’ve seen members of protestor groups step up and say they aren’t going to tolerate those intent on violence and destruction. They did it in the initial Ferguson demonstrations here. They did it during demonstrations for Trayvon Martin. We have good people here in Kansas City who know how to get their message across while respecting the rights and property of others.

There will always be alarmists – people who want to stir the pot and agitate and create fear. I am not afraid, and you shouldn’t be, either. This of course does not mean that KCPD isn’t ready to handle anything that happens. We are. We will be using covert and overt resources. Commanders will have a more visible presence out in the field. But we will not be heavy-handed. We will engage only at the level necessary to protect life and property.

Long before Ferguson, our department members had been working to build trust with other segments of our community. I have been blessed to hear from numerous community leaders who are constantly asking me how they can help. They and many others in our city have done a great deal. That’s evident in our reduced crime rates this year. They have refused to tolerate violent and property crimes in their community, and they’ve worked with us toward the goal of a safer city.

Law enforcement around the nation is under a higher level of scrutiny than ever before. Our personnel know this. During these difficult times, we will do everything we can to support those who want to lawfully express themselves while protecting the people and property of Kansas City.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

Commanders get called out

When an emergency happens in Kansas City, I want everyone on this department from the top down to be able to respond. That’s why we conducted a commander call-out earlier this week, the second since I took the office of Chief of Police.

The goal was to have all commanders (deputy chiefs, majors and captains) respond to and work through a critical incident exercise. I want all commanders to be more involved in large emergency events, and I want them to exercise their critical thinking in a situation they don’t face on a regular basis. It’s one of the reasons I require all commanders to do regular ride-alongs with patrol officers. I want them to stay in touch with street-level policing.

They did not know this week’s call-out was coming. The only people who knew were the five department members who created and administrated the exercise and me.

At 1:15 p.m. Monday, I ordered the Communications Unit (this was a test for them, as well) to notify all commanders to report to the Police Academy immediately, no matter where they were or what they were doing. Once there, they were randomly divided into groups and presented with the critical incident scenario: A man wearing an explosive vest walks into Police Headquarters during the Republican National Convention (which Kansas City is hoping to host in 2016) and demands the convention be stopped. We let them take the scenario from there. There weren’t necessarily any right answers. I wanted to ensure a few very basic points were covered – such as activating the Emergency Operations Center and calling an Operation 100 at Headquarters.

Everyone did an excellent job. I was impressed with their teamwork. No one pulled rank, and everyone listened to each other’s ideas. That cooperation is necessary because a critical incident of this scale would certainly be handled by a group of commanders, not just one. Working through this kind of scenario allowed them to activate and utilize all the resources the department has available, such as manpower, specialty units, federal partners, neighboring law enforcement agencies and other city departments like Emergency Management and Fire.

I want us to be responsive in a critical incident, not reactive. In the police world, those are two different things. Responding to an emergency means coming in with a rehearsed plan of action. It means police know what needs to be done and who needs to do it, and they put their plan into action as soon as possible. Reacting to an emergency means police are unprepared and chaos reigns. A critical incident is not the time to work out details. Exercises like this week’s ensure we are responsive.

Right after I became chief, we conducted a much less-involved exercise in which I ordered the Communications Unit to contact all commanders and tell them to come to a location to see how quickly they responded and how they used their take-home vehicles. That covered response, but I wanted this to engage their critical thinking skills.

This will not be the last time such a surprise exercise is conducted. Why? Because someday it might not be an exercise. It might be the real thing. If it is, I want a department of men and women who are prepared, regardless of their assignment. Future exercises will include regional, state and federal partners.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

Civil responsibility in anticipation of verdict

Closing arguments are taking place today in the trial of George Zimmerman, a Florida man accused of killing Trayvon Martin. A jury soon will decide Zimmerman’s guilt or innocence. The racially charged case has brought up a lot of emotions across the nation, and some speculate the verdict could cause civil unrest.

Kansas City is largely a community of good, law-abiding people, and we are confident people will react to the verdict as responsible citizens and respect the criminal justice process, just as we do. However, you can absolutely agree or disagree with whatever the jury decides and make your thoughts known. The U.S. Constitution guarantees all citizens the right to voice their opinion and peaceably assemble, and we will support everyone’s right to do so. But disagreement with any verdict in the judicial process does not give anyone the right to ignore the law and compromise the safety of others or harm their property.

I ask all members of the community to respect each other. Respect one’s right to voice an opinion, but also respect another’s right to be safe. I also ask everyone to work together to quell any disturbances that may arise. I know the Zimmerman case is an emotional topic, but we can’t let emotions bring discredit to Kansas City. Everyone is responsible for keeping their behavior in check, and if you see someone who isn't, try to help them redirect their feelings in an appropriate way. If that doesn’t work, call us.

We look forward to working with our supportive community during this time and every other day. You can be confident police are prepared for whatever might happen. We have trained for critical incidents for my entire 28-year career here at KCPD. Every officer receives critical incident response training in the Police Academy, and that training is updated and re-emphasized periodically. We also have officers who specialize in responding to these incidents. We always have the ability to re-allocate resources to meet any needs the community presents to us. Little that we do in response to these incidents is reactionary. Rather, we proactively plan for and train for all kinds of situations, including civil unrest.

But police are just a small part of what it takes to keep our city peaceful. We need everyone’s help to keep tensions down when emotions run high. Not only could this prevent civil unrest when a verdict comes down in the Zimmerman case, it also could prevent the majority of our shootings and homicides. The police are ready to appropriately respond to whatever comes our way, and I am confident the people of Kansas City are, as well.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org 

Take-home police vehicles benefit communities, public safety

A police car in a neighborhood can go a long way toward preventing crime. That’s one of many reasons I support our department’s use of take-home vehicles. They increase police visibility, increase safety and improve response times to critical incidents. As resources permit, I plan to assign take-home vehicles to officers who reside in areas where there is a high incidence of crime to increase police visibility in hopes of reducing crime and building relationships. Eventually, I would like all patrol officers to be assigned take-home vehicles.

On May 17, an off-duty detective was driving his take-home vehicle in the Northland when he witnessed an armed robbery. He followed the suspects to Truman and Paseo, where patrol officers helped arrest them. The robbery victims were not injured, and the suspects have been charged. This is just one of many examples of how these cars are used to protect the public. Who knows how many other crimes would have occurred had that detective not intervened? Those suspects could have robbed and hurt many others throughout the city.

By being alert and having his police vehicle, that detective was able to stop armed robbers, even though he wasn’t on the clock. Homicide detectives, Tactical Response Team officers and many others get called out at all times of the day, and take-home vehicles get them there quickly to speak with as many witnesses as possible and/or to protect the public. A few years ago, when there was an active shooter at Ward Parkway Center, I was off duty but able to arrive on scene within several minutes because I had a take-home car.

And just having police cars out and about in the city brings a sense of security among law-abiding citizens and a sense of uneasiness among those who commit crimes. This article from Government Fleet magazine does a good job outlining the many benefits of police take-home vehicles.

Take-home vehicle use is carefully monitored so it is not abused. These vehicles and those who use them are audited every year to determine whether each vehicle’s use is justified. You can read those audits here. You also can see our policy governing take-home vehicle use here. Keep in mind that audits of take-home vehicles do not examine feelings of safety, improved relationships or other benefits of having police vehicles that are readily available to respond to critical incidents.

As long as police take-home vehicles continue to prevent crime and allow for quick response times, you will continue to see them on the streets of Kansas City.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

From Philadelphia to Kansas City, police cope with "flash mob"-type gatherings

If you read this New York Times article, you’ll see something that took place a few weeks ago in Philadelphia that sounds very much like what happened on the Country Club Plaza here last weekend. Large groups of kids converged on venerable areas of the city through texting and social media and turned into an unruly mob that damaged property, intimidated shoppers and diners and broke out into numerous fights. The same issues also came up in Philly that have here – finding something else for the kids to do, racial tension and parental responsibility.

Coincidentally, the annual Police Executive Research Forum's Annual Meeting is taking place in Philadelphia right now, and the leader of KCPD’s Patrol Bureau – Deputy Chief Cy Ritter – is there. He told me about a town hall meeting at the conference this morning in which Philadelphia Police talked about the “flash mob” problems they’re having and commended Kansas City Police for how quickly we’re taking action here.

Philadelphia’s Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel said he found this report of last weekend’s Plaza incident that I posted on my blog. Several police leaders at the conference said they were surprised I posted such a report for everyone to see, but transparency is one of our critical values, and I think it was important to objectively document the events of that night and the police response to them. Deputy Chief Ritter then presented a bit more about how our department handled the situation and what we plan to do in the future. Deputy Commissioner Bethel praised how quickly KCPD responded to and documented the event. He added that the only thing he would do differently would be to document the events on video, which Philadelphia is now doing.

Fortunately, that was already in our plans for the Plaza this weekend. Much like we do at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, big college basketball tournaments and other events with lots of people, we’re going to set up cameras on the Plaza this weekend and monitor them from a remote location to better track trouble spots and deploy officers to those areas. But if the crowds decide to skip the Plaza this weekend and congregate elsewhere in the city to cause disorder, we’ll move there, too. Our mobile response is ready.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey also made another good point at this morning’s town hall meeting: It is not the job of police to find something for teens do for entertainment. He said that’s up to the community. The job of police is pretty well encapsulated in our department’s mission statement: “… To protect life and property while reducing fear and disorder.” If a lot of juveniles gather in the city somewhere this weekend and are civil and law-abiding, police intervention won’t be necessary. But we’re ready in the event that’s not the case.

It was heartening to hear the leaders of the nation’s fourth-largest police department praising how we handled things and saying KCPD was “ahead of the curve” in front of nearly 300 other law enforcement leaders from around the U.S., Canada and Europe. But what matters most is how safe people here in Kansas City feel, and they can take comfort knowing that their police department is innovatively and effectively addressing any issue that may compromise that safety.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Plaza incident

As you’ve probably heard, large crowds of juveniles converged on the Country Club Plaza on Saturday night and wreaked havoc throughout. They intimidated shoppers and diners, destroyed property, committed a strong-arm robbery, and a juvenile suffered severe head injuries in an aggravated assault. Police took control of the crowds using traffic crews to close streets, pepper spray to disperse the crowds and a helicopter overhead to help officers on the ground find the most troublesome areas.

We will be taking a number of measures to ensure those who shop, visit, dine at and stroll around Kansas City’s historic Plaza area can do so without fear. We will be meeting with the Plaza Merchant’s Association, NAACP and others to put together the best possible plan to allow Plaza patrons to fully enjoy themselves while keeping disorder at bay. We plan strict enforcement this weekend and for future weekends, and it will be mobile in case problems arise elsewhere.

We will be closely following the development of any similar events. If you hear of a group planning to organize something like this, please call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. You will remain anonymous, and you could save someone’s life. As I mentioned, one young man was seriously hurt in Saturday night’s incident.

A brief description of what took place:

Due to larger crowds of juveniles there the previous (Easter) weekend, we put an extra 18 officers and three sergeants to patrol the Plaza this past weekend. The activity began when about 200-300 juveniles exited the Cinemark theater and began to move east. More juveniles joined them, though officers said most did not drive. They were either dropped off by parents or arrived by bus. Not until after the incident did police learn the gathering may have been planned on social media sites. Police believe there were about 700 total juveniles involved, ages 11 to 17.

Here is a full report on incidents that happened that night.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Northland Wal-Mart incident

At about 9:39 a.m. today, police were called to the Wal-Mart at 8300 N. Church Rd. in regard to a threatening phone call they had received. Apparently, a male called the Wal-Mart and threatened to shoot people inside the store.

Upon arrival, police secured the Wal-Mart and conducted a search for the suspect. At the same time, Liberty Police Department officers conducted a residence check at the suspect's house. The suspect exited his residence and surrendered peacefully.

Again, the man who made the threats has been taken into custody of the Liberty, MO. Police Dept.