Narcotics and Vice Quarterly has great information

Because of the kind of under-cover work they do, you typically don't hear very much from KCPD's Narcotics and Vice Division. But every day, they're out there fighting some of the most dangerous criminals in this city, breaking up drug-trafficking rings, fighting crimes like prostitution and illegal gambling and monitoring licensed businesses.

We've long wanted to convey to you what they're doing, and the new Narcotics & Vice Quarterly does just that. This newsletter not only has detailed statistics about where drug busts are taking place, how they're being prosecuted, and what kinds of drugs are most prevalent in Kansas City, it also includes articles about emerging trends in drugs and other illegal activity in the area. The newsletter will be produced quarterly. The first edition covers the first quarter of 2010, January 1 through March 31. The second issue is due out soon. Printed versions of the newsletters also will soon be available at patrol division stations and Headquarters.

Please take the time to read this newsletter. It has important information about a dangerous new way of making meth, potent drugs being marketed to children and illegal gambling machines in the reach of children at Kansas City convenience stores. Also be sure to check out all the ways you can reported suspected drug activity to the police department.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Patrol division business plans help us reach crime-fighting goals

The Kansas City Police Department is unlike most other businesses you would think of. We’re not interested in sales or profits. But we’re similar to a lot of businesses in that we value customer satisfaction and have set goals and outlined ways to achieve them.

When Deputy Chief Cy Ritter took the helm of the Patrol Bureau in January 2009, he asked the leaders of each of the six patrol divisions and the Special Operations Division to write a business plan. The plans are intended to address how each division will attack crime in their specific area. We did this because the officers and commanders in that area know the concerns and problems of the people in the neighborhoods they serve far better than I or anyone at Headquarters does. For example, the Shoal Creek Patrol Division doesn’t have an officer deployment strategy to address homicides, but the Central Patrol Division does. (SCPD had two homicides last year while CPD had 35.) Shoal Creek does, however, deploy officers to address one of their largest crime problems – thefts from vehicles.

Each division’s plan includes the following:
1. Boundaries and population information
2. A demographic summary of the people who live in the division as well as prominent businesses, retail areas and other unique features within the division’s boundaries, and elected officials who serve the area
3. The make-up of the division station including police officers (and those who have special skills – such as those who speak another language or are trained in dealing with the mentally ill), civilian staff, equipment/vehicles and the condition of those
4. Deployment of personnel on each shift
5. Day-to-day actions and operations
6. Special projects
7. Needs (personnel, equipment, etc.)
8. A “State of the Division” summarizing where it is now and short and long-term goals

Division commanders are required to update these business plans at least once a year and are encouraged to do so more often. We use these business plans at our weekly CSTAR meetings to hold each patrol division accountable to achieving their goals. Many of the goals are linked to the City’s Citizen Satisfaction Survey.

We do not want officers just throwing resources at a problem area. We want them to specifically identify the problem, create a plan to address it and then track and report their progress. The business plans keep us at Headquarters accountable, too. If a division repeatedly tells us they need more officers on a shift or radios for personnel, and we fail to find a way to provide it to them or address the issue in other ways, we have failed them and the citizens of Kansas City.

I just wanted to show you one of the ways we’re holding ourselves accountable, and we ask that you continue to hold us accountable, as well.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

KCPD and security for the NAACP convention

As I’m sure you’ve heard, Kansas City is playing host to the national NAACP convention this week. First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at the convention today, and activities have been going on since last week and will conclude on Thursday. Along with the 7,000 to 10,000 people who were expected to attend the convention, there’s also an increased police presence around Bartle Hall, both seen and unseen.

Like other major events that bring a lot of visitors to town, KCPD has been planning for this convention for some time. About 90 officers a day are assigned specifically to this event. They’re in the convention areas and out on foot, ATV, cars and other means. They made certain the many youth who participated in academic competitions last week were safe, and they’re continuing to do so for all attendees this week. Although it’s not officially part of their duty, they’ve also been unofficial city ambassadors – giving people directions, telling them where to find food and the like. Several attendees have told the incident commander of the convention, Captain Floyd Mitchell, how nice everyone has been and how much they like Kansas City.

Police have a big presence behind the scenes, too. A 24/7 command post has been set up in the Marriott Muehlbach tower so police can monitor multiple locations by camera. They can view video from 40 cameras at a time, but with the flick of a switch, they have access to 200 total cameras. That command post is pictured above. An example of how amazing these cameras are happened today as First Lady Obama was making her way into Downtown from the Downtown Airport. Officers watching the camera feeds noticed a man on top of a tall building a few blocks off of Michelle Obama’s motorcade route. Concerned, they zoomed in close enough that they could see the man was wearing a badge from an air-conditioning repair company and was working on the building’s air conditioner and thus determined he didn’t pose a threat to the first lady. Police, did however, continue to monitor him while the first lady was nearby.

The cameras also help direct officers on the ground to any kind of incident or traffic tie-up that might be taking place. Fortunately, Capt. Mitchell reports that there have been no major incidents, and the NAACP convention is going very smoothly.

Rest assured that the rest of the city is receiving no less protection because of the convention. A majority of the officers working there are on special assignment and have not been pulled away from their regular duties. As always, KCPD is dedicated to protecting those who live, work and visit here.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Homicide victim from 2400 block of Myrtle identified

Officers were called to the 2400 block of Myrtle, at about 11:50 p.m., Tuesday, July 6, to investigate a shooting. Upon arriving, the officers discovered two males who were shot. Both men were transported to area hospitals for treatment. One of the men died at the hospital. He has been identified as 43-year-old Exiquio Martinez of Kansas City, Mo. The other male has a non-life threatening injury. Preliminary reports indicate the men were outside when they were shot. They may have been involved in a verbal altercation with suspects prior to the shooting. No suspects are in custody, and detectives ask anyone with information to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

DirecTV scam

I wanted to let you know about a scam involving two people who are impersonating DirecTV salespersons. On the afternoon of July 3 in the 1200 block of E. 80th St., a black man in his 40s and a black female in her teens showed up at the door of a house. The man was wearing a yellow tie with a dress shirt and shorts and had a DirecTV badge. The girl had purple hair and a lazy eye.

The duo offered the woman who lived in the house a package of satellite TV, internet and phone for $101. The victim thought it sounded like a good deal, so she signed up for it and paid them, and they gave her a copy of the order form. The man and teenager said a technician would show up the morning of July 5 to install the satellite, but no technician ever came.

Police examined the order form the suspects had provided the victim and called DirecTV. DirecTV personnel advised them that the order number was valid, but it was for another person in another state. They said the man and girl that showed up at the victim's door were fraudulently impersonating DirecTV salespeople. Residents have since said they have seen the suspects' gray Dodge Durango continuing to drive around the neighborhood.

Always be leery of someone coming to your door trying to sell you something. In this case, the suspect even counterfeited a DirecTV badge. If you do not feel comfortable or think it might be a scam, call police.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Downtown roads closed during presidential visit tomorrow

Six intersections in downtown Kansas City will be closed to traffic tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., during President Barack Obama's visit. The affected intersections will include:

• 11th and Broadway
• 12th and Broadway
• 11th and Central
• 12th and Central
• 11th and Wyandotte
• 12th and Wyandotte

Other roads may be closed throughout the downtown area, but not for an extended period of time.

Impaired driving suspected in multiple fatal crashes over July 4 weekend

This past holiday weekend also was deadly on the roads. A total of five people died in four vehicle crashes in Kansas City from July 2 to 5. Three of the four crashes involved possible impairment (intoxicated drivers) as a contributing factor for the accidents.


Police also conducted a DUI checkpoint at 4040 Main from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday night and early Saturday morning, stopping 745 cars and making 20 DUI arrests. 


These are such scary statistics, and for the loved ones of those who died in this weekend's crashes, they are far more than stats. They are terrible tragedies. Please don't contribute to another tragedy. Never, ever drive intoxicated.


Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org 

Homicide victims from deadly holiday weekend identified.

* At about 7:11 a.m. July 3, officers were dispatched to a residence in the 300 block of Topping on a residential burglary in progress. While officers were on the way there, the call was updated to a prowler - male outside the residence, and finally a medical nature unknown. Upon arrival, officers observed the victim deceased in the driveway of the residence. He has been identified as 17-year-old Wilmer Perez of Kansas City, Mo.  Detectives are investigating his cause of death.

* At about 2:51 a.m. July 4, officers were called on a sound of shots in the 1400 blk of E. 10th St. and at 2:57 hours to the 900 blk of Paseo on a shooting. Upon arrival, officers observed two victims at 1401 E. 10th St. with apparent gunshot wounds. One victim, 32-year-old Michael B.K. Butler, was deceased. The second victim, 15-year-old Akeem Y. Wilson, was transported to a local hospital, where he later died. A possible third victim was contacted at a local hospital and is in stable condition.


* Also on July 4, at approximately 3:45 a.m., officers were called to 6409 Manchester on a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located two victims with apparent gunshot wounds. Both victims were transported to the hospital.  One victim was listed in critical condition and the other was considered non-life threatening. The victim with critical injuries later died and was identified as 26-year-old Craig K. Sowell of Kansas City, Mo.


* At about 6:47 a.m. July 4, officers were dispatched to the 500 block of NW 55th Street on a cutting. Upon arrival, officers observed the male victim, 30-year-old Decarlos Henderson of Kansas City and Waterloo, Iowa, suffering from possible cutting wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died. Apparently Henderson had been involved in a domestic dispute prior to his death.  A female was detained at the QuikTrip, not far from the apartment building, and was transported to Police Headquarters for questioning. The woman, 26-year-old Monique M. Walker, has now been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action.


If you have any information on any of these murders, please don't hesitate to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

KCPD detention officer to give gift of life to Southern Missouri police chief

Some amazing people work at the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. I've told you many stories of the heroic and selfless things they do, and there's another one I want to tell you about today. But her heroism is different than many of the split-second decisions of bravery officers make in the field. Hers is a thought-out, premeditated and painful act to save someone else's life.


Tricia Wadell is one of our civilian detention facility officers. She works the PM shift in our jail here at police headquarters. I learned about what she is about to do when I got an e-mail from Carthage, Mo., Police Chief Greg Dagnan a couple of weeks ago. Their story will be be published in our Informant newsletter next week, but I couldn't keep this quiet any longer. So to start your holiday weekend off with a warm feeling in your heart, read about what Tricia is going to do for a police chief she didn't even know that well:

A KCPD detention facility officer is making a major sacrifice to save the life of a southern Missouri police chief.

D.F.O. Tricia Wadell, 23, will be giving one of her kidneys to 40-year-old Chief Greg Dagnan of the Carthage, Mo., Police Department in a tandem surgery on July 29 in St. Louis. The operation has a greater-than-95 percent success rate.

“I’m helping out a good person,” D.F.O. Wadell said. “To me, it’s not a big deal.”

Wadell and Chief Dagnan first met in Joplin when Tricia joined that police department’s Explorers program and attended Missouri Southern State University. At the time, Dagnan was working as a reserve officer for Joplin and teaching full time at the college. Wadell had Dagnan for a few classes and ran into him during occasional Explorers work, like at DUI checkpoints. Neither said they knew the other all that well.

Wadell moved to Kansas City in 2007 and transferred her credits to Grantham University. She wanted to enter the Police Academy but was too young, so she went to work in the Detention Unit, which is her current assignment. When she heard Dagnan made chief in Carthage, a town of about 15,000 people roughly 15 minutes east of Joplin, she congratulated him, but that was the extent of her communication with him until an e-mail arrived about a year and a half ago from her mother.

Wadell’s mother goes to a church that is the same denomination as Dagnan’s. Word made it from his church’s prayer chain to the other’s that Dagnan’s polycystic kidney disease (PKD) was destroying his kidneys, and he would soon be in need of a transplant.

“We told folks at our church, and that was it,” Dagnan said. “It’s not something you like bragging about, especially at work. You have that tough-guy image in law enforcement.”

Dagnan had no idea that Wadell had received the prayer chain e-mail about him. Nor did he know that she went and got tested to see if she would be a match.

“I saw an e-mail from her one day, and I thought, ‘Oh, I haven’t heard from her in a while; she must be on the street or something in your department now, and she’s sending me an update,’” he said. “But instead she said, ‘Just letting you know I heard about you. I went and got tested, and I’m the match.’”

Dagnan said he was astonished. He was also humbled because he found out so many people got tested to help him that the hospital asked them to stop coming in because they were overloaded. Dagnan’s kidneys are now functioning at about 10 percent each. With Wadell’s healthy kidney and because he has no other major health problems, doctors have told him he can be back to light duty six weeks after the operation, and full duty at eight weeks. Wadell’s remaining kidney will enlarge to take over for her absent one, and she faces a similar recovery time. 

For her part, Wadell is frightened, but she won’t be deterred.

“I’m scared to death,” she said. “… But I have so much respect for him and his family.”

When she recovers, she’d like another stab at a spot in the Police Academy.

Though both said they weren’t particularly close before, Dagnan said Wadell has become like part of his family now. His wife and four daughters, ages 19, 14, 11 and 8, have embraced Wadell as one of their own, and they all keep in constant contact. Because PKD is genetic, Dagnan fears that two of his girls also could have it, and he asked his wife and healthy daughters not to get tested for him so they could help out his other two daughters if need be. So Dagnan said Wadell is not only sacrificing for him, she’s sacrificing for his whole family.

“That’s probably the biggest gift she has given me – not only to be around for them but to feel good enough that I can be part of the family and be a dad to them,” he said. “… Her selflessness amazes me.”

Detention Officer Tricia Wadell and Carthage, Mo. Police Chief Greg Dagnan

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org 

Donate a Scout uniform, help build future leaders

I have mentioned before that I am a proud Eagle Scout and now have the privilege to serve as vice president of Urban Scouting on the Boy Scouts of America's Heart of America Council. I believe Boy Scouts provides a solid leadership training program, and I'd like it to be available to as many boys in Kansas City as possible, especially in the urban core. Our Urban Scouting commitee - and a cadre of KCPD officers who were or are involved in Boy Scouts - is working hard to reach these young men.

Unfortunately, many children who could really benefit from Scouting lack the most basic piece of equipment to get started: a uniform. The economic downturn has put a strain on families who would normally be able to afford these basic Scouting items for their sons. That's why we're collecting new or gently used Boy and Cub Scout uniforms at each of our six patrol division stations. New uniforms are available for purchase at the Scout Shop at 103rd and Holmes or Brant's on the Square in Liberty, Mo. Or if your Scout has simply outgrown his uniform but it's still in good shape, we'd love to have that, too.

If you can donate a uniform, you can start the journey of leadership and development for a Scout. Thanks so much for your support.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org