After the conclusion of the first phase of the violent crime initiative, 200 officers will be back on the streets tomorrow canvassing neighborhoods to get new leads in three unsolved homicide cases.
Those 200 officers are from KCPD, the Independence Police Department and six federal agencies. The cases in which they will be pursuing tips are:
* Ahmed J. Johnson: 34-year-old Johnson was shot at 6407 Manchester at 12:47 p.m. March 31, 2009.
* Lamonte Curtis and Jazmine Stiggers: 20-year-old Curtis and 16-year-old Stiggers were shot sitting on the front porch of 2627 Bellefontaine at 6:56 p.m. August 23, 2008.
* Larry Oates: 23-year-old Oates was shot outside of 2533 Chestnut at 9:24 p.m. August 11, 2008.
Anyone with information in any of these cases is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Three-day operation targets violent areas to find murder, violent crime suspects
An effort led by Kansas City Police put more than 200 law enforcement officers in the most violent areas of the city for three days to attack violent crime.
Running from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, this year’s violent crime initiative follows up and expands on the success of last year’s initiative, which took place in December 2008 and resulted in the arrest of nearly 100 of the city’s most violent criminals, including homicide suspects. This year, KCPD and Independence Police officers, as well as agents from six federal agencies, are targeting 250 addresses in four parts of Kansas City and Independence. These addresses were selected based on homicides, drive-by shootings, aggravated assaults, police calls for service that are violent in nature, intelligence and information from district patrol officers. The four target areas in Kansas City comprise 4 percent of the city’s land area but have been responsible for 48 percent of the city’s homicides and 47 percent of its drive-by shootings in 2009.
This year’s initiative will be conducted in two parts. The first part will took place Tuesday and Wednesday as officers executed 35 search warrants and 140 arrest warrants. The results of this phase were announced at a press conference this afternoon, and my comments from the conference are below. The second phase will take place Thursday and involve 200-plus officers going door-to-door in many neighborhoods to gather more information about three unsolved homicide cases.
Here are my comments from today's press conference, including totals from the initiative:
Thank you for coming. We are here today to tell you about the results of an intensive two-day operation to find some of the most violent criminals in Kansas City.
This operation was the result of months of work on the part of our Narcotics and Vice Division and our federal partners. It builds on the success of a similar operation we conducted last December, which resulted in the arrest of more than 100 people with extensive criminal histories.
Beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday, officers and detectives set out to serve 35 search warrants and arrest 140 people, 18 of whom were wanted for questioning in homicides.
At the same time, detectives with the Vice Section have been running decoy operations to arrest prostitutes, many of which have information about violent crimes.
As of 3:30 p.m. today, our officers have arrested 81 people on new charges. An additional 209 warrants on existing charges were cleared.
In the course of this operation, more than 200 investigators from KCPD, Independence Police and six federal agencies have gone to 250 addresses in the most violent areas of the city.
Using analysis of homicides, aggravated assaults, drive-by shootings, 911 calls, information from patrol officers and intelligence, we selected four areas to target. The four target areas comprise 4 percent of the city’s land area but have been responsible for 48 percent of the city’s homicides and 47 percent of its drive-by shootings this year.
Several incidents during the course of this operation confirmed we are focusing on the right places. While speaking with residents in the 3900 block of Garfield, officers heard gunshots just down the street. They found the car, pulled it over, and found a 16-year-old with an SKS assault rifle. The teen was taken into custody, and the gun was recovered.
At another location in the 3600 block of Prospect, officers were interviewing a woman wanted on some warrants when she received a call from her daughter. The daughter was just down the street and called her mother to ask for help because her boyfriend was assaulting her. Two officers stayed with the mother while the rest ran down the street to find the man actively beating the woman. They arrested him right there, and despite her warrants, the mother told officers she was very grateful for how they helped her family.
Many good people live in these crime-ridden neighborhoods – people who just want the violence to stop. We encountered many of them during this operation. One told us he had witnessed a shooting and gave detectives very valuable information. Another flagged down officers yesterday to tell them his neighbor down the block had a gun. The man turned out to be a convicted felon who is banned from possessing firearms. And neighbors in an apartment complex in the 3300 block of Indiana told officers how happy they were to see a party house shut down. The officers served a warrant there and found a vacant apartment with 14 cases of beer, 39 bottles of liquor, 14 bottles of wine and several cans of shaving cream inside.
Those neighbors and so many others are eager to take back their neighborhoods, and Kansas City Missouri Police and our partners are doing everything we can to help them. But we need their cooperation now more than ever.
Although this phase of the operation is over, another phase will commence tomorrow morning. It will involve those same 200 officers fanning out across the city to knock on doors to seek information in three unsolved homicide cases. These are cases that homicide detectives selected because they think more neighborhood canvasses could yield vital information.
I want to report to you some of the quantitative results of this violent crime initiative from the past two days, much of which you’ll see on these tables beside me. Some guns recovered aren’t here because they are being tested for DNA. The rest of these will be traced immediately through our new Illegal Firearms Squad to determine whether they are stolen or connected to other crimes.
As of 3:30 p.m. today:
- We’ve conducted 321 consensual searches. There have been no major incidents or injuries.
- We’ve cleared 209 arrest warrants and arrested more than 81 people.
- Approximately $94,109 in street-value narcotics were recovered, as well as $4,071 in U.S. currency.
- We recovered 32 illegal firearms, including a 13-inch shot gun and numerous assault rifles.
- We’ve served 34 search warrants.
Most importantly, the arrests made during this operation have led to much more information in violent crime cases.
Before we conclude, I want to recognize the leaders of the agencies who have made this operation possible: Special Agent in Charge Brian Truchon of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Supervisor Rich Kight of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Acting Special Agent in Charge Gilbert Trill of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; U.S. Marshal Mauri Sheer of the United States Marshals Service; Assistant Inspector in Charge Tom Noyes of the United States Postal Inspection Service; Acting Special Agent in Charge Dave Mizell of the Drug Enforcement Agency; Chief Tom Dailey of the Independence Police Department, Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Harrell of the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Becker and Gregg Coonrod of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Running from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, this year’s violent crime initiative follows up and expands on the success of last year’s initiative, which took place in December 2008 and resulted in the arrest of nearly 100 of the city’s most violent criminals, including homicide suspects. This year, KCPD and Independence Police officers, as well as agents from six federal agencies, are targeting 250 addresses in four parts of Kansas City and Independence. These addresses were selected based on homicides, drive-by shootings, aggravated assaults, police calls for service that are violent in nature, intelligence and information from district patrol officers. The four target areas in Kansas City comprise 4 percent of the city’s land area but have been responsible for 48 percent of the city’s homicides and 47 percent of its drive-by shootings in 2009.
This year’s initiative will be conducted in two parts. The first part will took place Tuesday and Wednesday as officers executed 35 search warrants and 140 arrest warrants. The results of this phase were announced at a press conference this afternoon, and my comments from the conference are below. The second phase will take place Thursday and involve 200-plus officers going door-to-door in many neighborhoods to gather more information about three unsolved homicide cases.
Here are my comments from today's press conference, including totals from the initiative:
Thank you for coming. We are here today to tell you about the results of an intensive two-day operation to find some of the most violent criminals in Kansas City.
This operation was the result of months of work on the part of our Narcotics and Vice Division and our federal partners. It builds on the success of a similar operation we conducted last December, which resulted in the arrest of more than 100 people with extensive criminal histories.
Beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday, officers and detectives set out to serve 35 search warrants and arrest 140 people, 18 of whom were wanted for questioning in homicides.
At the same time, detectives with the Vice Section have been running decoy operations to arrest prostitutes, many of which have information about violent crimes.
As of 3:30 p.m. today, our officers have arrested 81 people on new charges. An additional 209 warrants on existing charges were cleared.
In the course of this operation, more than 200 investigators from KCPD, Independence Police and six federal agencies have gone to 250 addresses in the most violent areas of the city.
Using analysis of homicides, aggravated assaults, drive-by shootings, 911 calls, information from patrol officers and intelligence, we selected four areas to target. The four target areas comprise 4 percent of the city’s land area but have been responsible for 48 percent of the city’s homicides and 47 percent of its drive-by shootings this year.
Several incidents during the course of this operation confirmed we are focusing on the right places. While speaking with residents in the 3900 block of Garfield, officers heard gunshots just down the street. They found the car, pulled it over, and found a 16-year-old with an SKS assault rifle. The teen was taken into custody, and the gun was recovered.
At another location in the 3600 block of Prospect, officers were interviewing a woman wanted on some warrants when she received a call from her daughter. The daughter was just down the street and called her mother to ask for help because her boyfriend was assaulting her. Two officers stayed with the mother while the rest ran down the street to find the man actively beating the woman. They arrested him right there, and despite her warrants, the mother told officers she was very grateful for how they helped her family.
Many good people live in these crime-ridden neighborhoods – people who just want the violence to stop. We encountered many of them during this operation. One told us he had witnessed a shooting and gave detectives very valuable information. Another flagged down officers yesterday to tell them his neighbor down the block had a gun. The man turned out to be a convicted felon who is banned from possessing firearms. And neighbors in an apartment complex in the 3300 block of Indiana told officers how happy they were to see a party house shut down. The officers served a warrant there and found a vacant apartment with 14 cases of beer, 39 bottles of liquor, 14 bottles of wine and several cans of shaving cream inside.
Those neighbors and so many others are eager to take back their neighborhoods, and Kansas City Missouri Police and our partners are doing everything we can to help them. But we need their cooperation now more than ever.
Although this phase of the operation is over, another phase will commence tomorrow morning. It will involve those same 200 officers fanning out across the city to knock on doors to seek information in three unsolved homicide cases. These are cases that homicide detectives selected because they think more neighborhood canvasses could yield vital information.
I want to report to you some of the quantitative results of this violent crime initiative from the past two days, much of which you’ll see on these tables beside me. Some guns recovered aren’t here because they are being tested for DNA. The rest of these will be traced immediately through our new Illegal Firearms Squad to determine whether they are stolen or connected to other crimes.
As of 3:30 p.m. today:
- We’ve conducted 321 consensual searches. There have been no major incidents or injuries.
- We’ve cleared 209 arrest warrants and arrested more than 81 people.
- Approximately $94,109 in street-value narcotics were recovered, as well as $4,071 in U.S. currency.
- We recovered 32 illegal firearms, including a 13-inch shot gun and numerous assault rifles.
- We’ve served 34 search warrants.
Most importantly, the arrests made during this operation have led to much more information in violent crime cases.
Before we conclude, I want to recognize the leaders of the agencies who have made this operation possible: Special Agent in Charge Brian Truchon of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Supervisor Rich Kight of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Acting Special Agent in Charge Gilbert Trill of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; U.S. Marshal Mauri Sheer of the United States Marshals Service; Assistant Inspector in Charge Tom Noyes of the United States Postal Inspection Service; Acting Special Agent in Charge Dave Mizell of the Drug Enforcement Agency; Chief Tom Dailey of the Independence Police Department, Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Harrell of the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Becker and Gregg Coonrod of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Teen who shot at officer in custody
At about 12:10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28, an officer attempted to conduct a pedestrian check on an individual walking in the street near 41st and Tracy. As the officer exited his patrol car, the suspect began to run. After a brief foot chase, the suspect fell to the ground. As he got back to his feet, he removed a handgun from his waistband and shot at the officer. The officer returned fire, and the suspect fled northbound on Forest Avenue. Neither the officer nor the suspect was injured. Police conducted a thorough search from 39th to 41st Street, and from Troost to Tracy but could not find the suspect.
Today, the shooter has been arrested and is in custody. He has been identified as 19-year-old Carl E. Counce. He has been charged with first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and armed criminal action. He is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Purple Heart
Thankfully, we don't give out many Purple Heart awards, but we did so last week to a very deserving person: Officer Keli Theison. She is pictured above with Deputy Chief Cy Ritter. She received a standing ovation from everyone at the Board of Police Commissioners meeting when she accepted the Purple Heart. Here's what happened that earned her the medal:
March 29, 2009, was an unusually cold day, and eastbound I-470 was beginning to ice up near View High Drive.
The ice snuck up on drivers, and one got in a non-injury accident at that location at about 8 a.m. Officers Keli Theison and Kris Crawford responded to the scene. The sun was shining brightly, making it difficult for drivers to see. While the officers were at the scene of the initial accident, a second driver lost control of his car and struck the median. It was now apparent that the roads were dangerous, and the officers didn’t want anyone involved in the accidents getting out of their cars for safety reasons. As the driver in the second crash tried to get out, Officer Theison stepped toward her to tell her to remain in her car. One witness said, “She was next to me and she was just trying to help us.” Unfortunately, another car driving on 470 lost control, struck a Motorist Assist Truck, and then struck Officer Theison.
Witnesses said Officer Theison flew about 30 feet when she was hit. Officer Crawford rushed to her side, determined her condition and radioed for help. He relayed information about the bad road conditions and positioned emergency response vehicles to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.
Officer Theison suffered life-threatening injuries, including head trauma, multiple broken ribs and lacerations. She spent nearly one month in the hospital and returned to limited duty at South Patrol Division on September 8, 2009. She is undergoing physical therapy and is expected to return to full duty. (In case you were wondering, officers are not allowed to wear uniforms until they have been cleared for full duty, which is why Officer Theison is in civilian clothes in the picture.)
The ice snuck up on drivers, and one got in a non-injury accident at that location at about 8 a.m. Officers Keli Theison and Kris Crawford responded to the scene. The sun was shining brightly, making it difficult for drivers to see. While the officers were at the scene of the initial accident, a second driver lost control of his car and struck the median. It was now apparent that the roads were dangerous, and the officers didn’t want anyone involved in the accidents getting out of their cars for safety reasons. As the driver in the second crash tried to get out, Officer Theison stepped toward her to tell her to remain in her car. One witness said, “She was next to me and she was just trying to help us.” Unfortunately, another car driving on 470 lost control, struck a Motorist Assist Truck, and then struck Officer Theison.
Witnesses said Officer Theison flew about 30 feet when she was hit. Officer Crawford rushed to her side, determined her condition and radioed for help. He relayed information about the bad road conditions and positioned emergency response vehicles to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.
Officer Theison suffered life-threatening injuries, including head trauma, multiple broken ribs and lacerations. She spent nearly one month in the hospital and returned to limited duty at South Patrol Division on September 8, 2009. She is undergoing physical therapy and is expected to return to full duty. (In case you were wondering, officers are not allowed to wear uniforms until they have been cleared for full duty, which is why Officer Theison is in civilian clothes in the picture.)
One man who was involved in one of the accidents that day was so grateful to Officer Theison that he came to the hospital with flowers to thank her.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Monday, September 28, 2009
Homicide victim from 49th and Eastern identified
At about 4:10 a.m. today, Sept. 28, officers were called to the area of 49th and Eastern in regard to a shooting. Upon arrival, a white male was located in the street with no signs of life. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A witness heard a gunshot and observed the victim in the street. The victim has been identified as 24-year-old Brian K. Smith. Anyone with information should call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
Mr. Smith's homicide is Kansas City's 89th in 2009, compared to 102 homicides at the same time in 2008.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Police seek woman missing since Sept. 24
UPDATE: Epsibari Nkeeh was located at a local hospital in good health.
Police are looking for 27-year-old Epsibari D. Nkeeh, a black female who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weights 140 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a pink and white sweater and tan slacks carrying a green bag and red purse. Ms. Nkeeh was last seen at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, in the area of 85th and Wornall. Ms. Nkeeh may be mentally ill, and her family fears for her safety. If you know where Epsibari Nkeeh is, call the Missing Persons Section at 816-234-5136 or 911.
Medal of Valor
The Medal of Valor is the highest honor a Kansas City Police officer can earn. It is "For performing an exceptionally valorous act far above that which is normally expected while aware of the imminent threat of personal danger." We gave this honor to Officer Marcus Smith last week. Above is Deputy Chief Cy Ritter bestowing the medal on him. Here is his story:
A woman and her children are safe today thanks to the valorous actions of Officer Marcus Smith on the evening of May 19, 2008.
At 8:49 p.m. that night, Officer Smith and his partner were dispatched to a house in the 10300 block of E. 43rd street on a call of a party armed with a gun who had threatened his live-in girlfriend. When they arrived, Officer Smith went to the front of the house, and his partner went to the back. Officer Smith saw a hysterical woman and her young son standing in the front yard. The woman told Officer Smith that she and her boyfriend had gotten into a fight when he became violent and assaulted her. He pointed a handgun at her, and she ran outside of the house with her youngest son and called 911. She told Officer Smith her boyfriend was mentally and physically ill as well as intoxicated.
Officer Smith had the woman and her child stand far behind him, out of harm’s way. He then ordered the suspect to come out of the house. The man eventually came onto the porch but then began to raise his right hand, which had a gun, and point it at Officer Smith. Fearing for the safety of the woman, child and himself, Officer Smith fired his duty weapon, killing the suspect.
When officers later cleared the residence, they found another child inside – a boy in a wheelchair in the back bedroom. When the woman was interviewed after the incident, she told detectives she “was in fear for her and her sons’ lives, and she believed the police officer’s actions kept her from being shot” by her boyfriend.
At 8:49 p.m. that night, Officer Smith and his partner were dispatched to a house in the 10300 block of E. 43rd street on a call of a party armed with a gun who had threatened his live-in girlfriend. When they arrived, Officer Smith went to the front of the house, and his partner went to the back. Officer Smith saw a hysterical woman and her young son standing in the front yard. The woman told Officer Smith that she and her boyfriend had gotten into a fight when he became violent and assaulted her. He pointed a handgun at her, and she ran outside of the house with her youngest son and called 911. She told Officer Smith her boyfriend was mentally and physically ill as well as intoxicated.
Officer Smith had the woman and her child stand far behind him, out of harm’s way. He then ordered the suspect to come out of the house. The man eventually came onto the porch but then began to raise his right hand, which had a gun, and point it at Officer Smith. Fearing for the safety of the woman, child and himself, Officer Smith fired his duty weapon, killing the suspect.
When officers later cleared the residence, they found another child inside – a boy in a wheelchair in the back bedroom. When the woman was interviewed after the incident, she told detectives she “was in fear for her and her sons’ lives, and she believed the police officer’s actions kept her from being shot” by her boyfriend.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Friday, September 25, 2009
Police investigate death of man found under bridge
Officers were dispatched to the Grand Boulevard bridge, just north of First and Grand, near Berkeley Riverfront Park at 7:05 this morning on a deceased male. Upon arrival, officers observed a white van on the bridge that had apparently struck the wall. No one was in the van, and officers observed the body of a white man directly below the bridge.
The man has been identified as 48-year-old Delbert L. Starks Jr. of Kansas City, Kan.
Detectives are investigating the incident as a "death investigation" at this time.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Police receive suspicious package, contents determined not to be harmful
At approximately 2:45 p.m. today, a civilian clerk was opening mail on the second floor of Police Headquarters. After opening an envelope with a letter inside, a suspicious white powder substance was also located inside. The second floor of HQ was evacuated, as well as several streets closed off to traffic in the area. KCFD HAZMAT arrived and tested the substance. The substance was determined to be a non-hazardous material.
The FBI will be following up on the incident.
The FBI will be following up on the incident.
Police partner with auto parts store Saturday to reduce vehicle-related thefts
Police estimate that up to 60 percent of Kansas City thefts are related to vehicles, and they’re teaming up with a local business to put a stop to that.
Advance Auto Parts, in partnership with Kansas City Missouri Police, will sponsor an Automobile Crime Prevention Kick-Off event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the 4401 E. Truman Road location. Advance Auto Parts will offer anti-theft products at deeply discounted prices, and police will be on hand to provide crime prevention information. Free hot dogs and drinks also will be available. The discounts will be available only at that Advance Auto Parts location through Oct. 17.
“We believe with proper education and the availability of prevention devices, thefts related to vehicles can be reduced dramatically,” said Master Patrol Officer James Schriever of the Central Patrol Division.
One of the most common targets of thefts is license plate renewal tabs, M.P.O. Schriever said, comprising 30 to 40 percent of all stealing complaints. An easy way to prevent that theft is with a clear license plate cover. Advance Auto Parts at 4401 E. Truman Road will offer such a cover with a life-time guarantee against breaking for $3.99. Until about two years ago, plate covers were not legal in Missouri, but they were legalized at the same time the State passed a law that waived replacement fees for residents who had their license plate tabs stolen. Other anti-theft items that will be offered at heavily discounted prices through this police partnership include steering wheel locks, trailer hitch locks, gas cap locks, locking wheel lug nuts and motorcycle wheel locks. These discounts will be available from Sept. 26 to Oct. 17, only at the 4401 E. Truman Road Advance Auto Parts location.
M.P.O. Schriever also said there are free, common-sense things to do to prevent your vehicle from becoming burglarized. The most important is to not leave anything of value in view inside your vehicle.
“The other day, we had a guy who had to pay $400 to replace the window in his car because someone broke it to steal 35 cents out of his cup-holder,” M.P.O. Schriever said.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
Advance Auto Parts, in partnership with Kansas City Missouri Police, will sponsor an Automobile Crime Prevention Kick-Off event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the 4401 E. Truman Road location. Advance Auto Parts will offer anti-theft products at deeply discounted prices, and police will be on hand to provide crime prevention information. Free hot dogs and drinks also will be available. The discounts will be available only at that Advance Auto Parts location through Oct. 17.
“We believe with proper education and the availability of prevention devices, thefts related to vehicles can be reduced dramatically,” said Master Patrol Officer James Schriever of the Central Patrol Division.
One of the most common targets of thefts is license plate renewal tabs, M.P.O. Schriever said, comprising 30 to 40 percent of all stealing complaints. An easy way to prevent that theft is with a clear license plate cover. Advance Auto Parts at 4401 E. Truman Road will offer such a cover with a life-time guarantee against breaking for $3.99. Until about two years ago, plate covers were not legal in Missouri, but they were legalized at the same time the State passed a law that waived replacement fees for residents who had their license plate tabs stolen. Other anti-theft items that will be offered at heavily discounted prices through this police partnership include steering wheel locks, trailer hitch locks, gas cap locks, locking wheel lug nuts and motorcycle wheel locks. These discounts will be available from Sept. 26 to Oct. 17, only at the 4401 E. Truman Road Advance Auto Parts location.
M.P.O. Schriever also said there are free, common-sense things to do to prevent your vehicle from becoming burglarized. The most important is to not leave anything of value in view inside your vehicle.
“The other day, we had a guy who had to pay $400 to replace the window in his car because someone broke it to steal 35 cents out of his cup-holder,” M.P.O. Schriever said.
Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org
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