Understanding Call Prioritization

We sometimes hear complaints that police don’t respond as quickly as people expect to certain types of incidents. The most common complaints are for calls about burglaries, car break-ins and non-injury accidents. We have a finite number of officers, so we must prioritize calls in which someone’s life or safety is at risk. Our policy very clearly outlines what types of calls receive priority, but here’s a little more succinct version that our dispatchers follow:

Priority 10: Assist the officer, send immediately

Priority 11 – 13: Calls where there is imminent danger to a person’s welfare (always lights and sirens on), send immediately

Priority 20: Calls where there is a potential danger to a person’s welfare (lights and sirens on if the incident is currently in progress), send within 2 minutes

Priority 30: Calls where the quality of the police response may be degraded if there is a delay, send within 5 minutes

Priority 40: Calls where a delay is acceptable

Priority 50: Calls where a delay of up to 4 hours is acceptable

Last month, July 2013, our median response time for Priority 10 calls (encompassing 10-13) was 7.42 minutes, and it was 9.78 minutes for Priority 20 calls. This is the time from the moment a 911 call is received to the moment an officer arrives on scene.

Consider this snapshot in time: at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20, there were 13 units (police cars manned by one or two officers) working in the Central Patrol Division. None were free to take any calls. All were tied up, responding to the following: two assaults, two injury crashes, a stabbing, investigating a suspicious person report, meeting an ambulance, meeting with someone who found a child reported missing and transporting an endangered person to a domestic violence shelter. Another had to testify in court. Two calls were in queue waiting to be dispatched whenever an officer became available. One was a 911 hang-up, and the other was a non-residential burglary.

Although it was a Priority 30 call that was to be dispatched within 5 minutes, the burglary caller had been waiting 65 minutes for police to arrive. I understand that person was probably frustrated. I know victims of property crimes often feel violated and scared, but it would be irresponsible for police to respond to their calls for service before a call in which someone’s safety is currently being threatened. It’s not because what happened to the burglary victim is not important, but like any organization, we must manage our resources as efficiently and responsibly as possible.

As we work to continue improving relationships with the community, it’s important that we keep expectations realistic. Police can’t always show up to non-emergency situations as soon as residents prefer, but we do our best to help those who need us most as quickly as possible. 

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

Swearing in the newest KCPD officers

I was honored yesterday to swear in Kansas City's newest police officers. This group will graduate from the Police Academy in a formal ceremony tonight. They'll hit the streets for their first day of work on Sunday.

KC's homicide victims are getting older

The demographics of our city’s homicide victims are shifting this year. To date, Kansas City has had 66 homicides in 2013. Only 25 percent of those victims have been younger than 25. This is very unusual, as young, black men typically comprise the bulk of our homicide victims. Black men still make up 61 percent of this year’s homicide victims, but they’re older. Consider the following statistics from previous years about the percentage of homicide victims who were younger than 25:

•      41% in 2012
•          33% in 2011
•          48% in 2010

You can see the full break down of year-to-date homicide statistics here. I don’t have an explanation for why the city’s homicide victims are getting older, but I do have a little hope. My hope is the younger generation is beginning to turn the corner – that they’re valuing life more and staying away from the high-risk lifestyles that lead to violence. I also hope they’re learning to manage their anger better. Of the known motives for homicide this year and every year, arguments are No. 1.

I ask for the community to continue building up our city’s youth. We’re doing everything we can to reduce violence, but police can’t instill the value of human life in children. That’s up to parents, families, neighbors, and the faith community. Encourage them to solve their problems without guns, and direct them on paths that improve their city. Talk about how important education is. As these pieces fall into place, we will see not just the homicide rate for youth drop, but fewer slayings overall.

You can read more about this trend in this Kansas City Star article from last month.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.  

Community relationships, data lead to safer city

Kansas City Police conducted a big crime prevention initiative on Saturday. It involved tactical teams, some of our most advanced equipment and vehicles, and there were children everywhere. You can read the Kansas City Star article about it here. 

Many people may not have seen this community picnic and fair as a crime prevention event, but that is how I viewed it. Because at this picnic at 31^st and Indiana, relationships were forged. People who may never before have felt comfortable approaching a police officer were enjoying watching their children try on tactical gear and climb in our vehicles. They mingled with the many officers who came and brought their families. And those urban-core children are learning to see police as people they can trust and turn to for help.

That is where crime prevention starts: positive relationships between the community and the police. Building those relationships has been the cornerstone of my tenure as police chief. It is something I stress to all KCPD staff and something I bring up at just about every meeting I attend. It’s why I try to get out into the neighborhoods as much as I can. And it’s why I launched the Community Support Division to enhance our outreach and victim support efforts.

We can throw out arrest statistics all day long, but those are reactive numbers. I want the Kansas City Missouri Police Department to work to proactively prevent crime. As I said, trusting relationships between the police and public are the foundation of crime prevention. Smarter policing also can impede criminal activity, and we are increasingly working toward that. Here are some examples of the data-driven strategies we’re undertaking to make Kansas City safer:

         Kansas City No Violence Alliance (KC NoVA) – This partnership between police, prosecutors, Missouri Probation and Parole and the University of Missouri-Kansas City targets those most likely to commit violent crime. It analyzes the networks of people involved in criminal activity, and law enforcement then goes after those at the epicenters. They are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Those on the fringes of the criminal networks are offered social services to turn their lives around. If they choose not to accept the help, they also face prosecution.

         Hot Spot Policing – I began this policing approach soon after I took office. We are allocating extra officers to the areas of the city where we know violent crime is most likely to take place. Putting additional resources in these areas is working.

         Law Enforcement Resource Center – This center features several components – crime analysts, detectives who collect and disperse intelligence information to officers and detectives on the street, crime mapping and more. Read more about it in our Informant newsletter. 

Data informs the majority of our decisions, like where and how to deploy officers and equipment, or who is most likely to commit violent crime.

Police are not saviors. We cannot fix the many societal ills that lead to crime. We are just a piece of the puzzle that includes partners like educators, faith-based organizations, local government, non-profits and businesses. We appreciate the work all these segments of the community do to make this city a safe place to live, work and play. 

We are not the only solution to crime prevention, but we must do everything possible to be of value to the community. We have to use our resources in the most intelligent ways possible. We must get out of our cars and listen to what the public has to say. We need to forge alliances with the law-abiding residents of this city, who are the vast majority. We should let the community know they can trust us and come to us with problems or information about crime. I have been working on these relationships from Day 1 and will continue to do so. I’m trying to make it the priority of every member of this department. Whether that takes the form of talking to neighbors at a shooting scene or inviting children to take a peek inside our armored vehicles, all of these interactions are valuable and forge the path to a safer community.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org 

What's being done about gun violence in Kansas City

I want to share with you a blog Kansas City Mayor Sly James posted last month. It outlines several steps the City and Police Department are taking to reduce gun violence and proposes other things that could make a difference.

He notes that police cannot solve this problem, and he is correct. Violence is a community-wide issue and requires a community-wide solution. Mayor James points out education is a major factor in violence prevention, and I’m happy to see the progress of the Turn the Page program. That program and ones like it, such as The Upper Room, are creating positive futures for youth who might otherwise have turned to criminal activity. I’ve also been pleased with how the City’s Club KC and Mayor’s Night’s programs have reduced mobbing issues at our City’s entertainment districts. These are great examples of outside-the-box and non-police solutions to crime problems.

The Mayor also confronts the elephant in the room: to reduce Kansas City’s gun violence, we must do something to address the abundance of illegal guns. Police work very hard at this, but we face an uphill battle. State law prevents the City from “affecting or interfering with the ownership, purchase, use, possession, regulation of any weapon or bullets, regardless of size, type, intended use or purpose.” Even if police stop known violent criminals and find a gun in their vehicle, unless they are a convicted felon, it is not illegal for them to possess a gun. No permit is required to have a gun in a car.

The next time you ask, “What are you doing about gun violence?”, read over the Mayor’s blog post to get an idea of the holistic approach the City and our Department are taking.

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 

Gunshot detection success gaining national attention

The success of ShotSpotter technology in Kansas City has gained a little national attention. USA Today highlighted in their "State by State" section our press conference last week and our desire to expand the system into other parts of the city.

ShotSpotter is working, but community engagement is still key

Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and I announced the success achieved with the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system. ShotSpotter went live in Kansas City on Oct. 1, 2012. The system covers 3.5 square miles in the city’s urban core and alerts police to gunfire. You can learn more about how it works here.

Police have been dispatched to 977 shots fired alerts through the system in the last eight months. These have led officers to recover 342 shell casings, 96 live rounds and 13 firearms. They’ve made six felony arrests through ShotSpotter, three of which resulted in federal charges for felons in possession of firearms. And since ShotSpotter’s implementation, aggravated assaults with firearms have decreased by 24.6 percent in the covered areas.

One example of a ShotSpotter success story happened in December 2012. Officers responded to the area where ShotSpotter indicated a gun had been fired. They found a man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Later investigation revealed the victim had been inside a stolen vehicle with another man who had shot him and fled. Police promptly located the vehicle and suspect. They found the firearm used in the shooting inside the car, as well as another stolen gun. The suspect gave a full confession and was charged with aggravated assault and armed criminal action. He was jailed in lieu of a $100,000 bond.

The detectives who worked that case believe that without ShotSpotter, police never would have been contacted. Because of the vehicle theft, they don’t think the victim would have reported being shot. But because of ShotSpotter, a man who tried to kill someone is off the street and being held accountable for his actions.

Another success story comes from an accumulation of gunfire data that ShotSpotter picked up on and KCPD intelligence analysts gathered. The system detected gunshots coming from the same address on multiple occasions. Police were able to use that data to obtain a search warrant for the house. Inside they found two illegally possessed firearms and the drug PCP. They were able to take suspects into custody.

But the real success of the ShotSpotter system isn’t in the statistics. It’s in the relationships it is helping to build. Sadly, hearing frequent gunfire has become a way of life in some neighborhoods. People didn’t report it because they were scared or felt police wouldn’t do anything about it. Now they see that we are doing something about it, and we are here to make their block safe again. When we show up at these shots fired calls now, people come out of their homes to ask us what is going on. They are learning that we will be there and they can talk to us. If police had been better engaged with the community over the years, we wouldn’t need ShotSpotter. We are working to repair that disconnect and engage the public once again.

We are not surprised by the effectiveness of ShotSpotter. The system was placed in the right areas of the city – those where violence had become too common of an occurrence. (We will not reveal where the system is located so we can stay several steps ahead of those who engage in criminal activity.) Given additional funding, we would love to expand the system in other areas.

But technology and police won’t solve everything. It’s up to community members to say they refuse to tolerate violence in their neighborhood.

And as we approach Independence Day, I wanted to let you know the ShotSpotter system can differentiate between fireworks and gunfire. Both are illegal in Kansas City. Police will be responding to these calls on the Fourth of July and every other day. And with ShotSpotter, the gunshot calls that might otherwise have gotten lost in fireworks noise will be clear, and police will respond to them promptly.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Support police and save lives

The 2013 Annual Battle for Blood began this week, and we need your support to get the trophy back! The battle runs from June 10-15 at all Community Blood Center locations. We will be hosting two separate drives, one at our Headquarters Annex tomorrow from 9-3 and at the Police Academy on Friday so our employees can help with the effort.

Metro firefighters and EMS personnel compete against law enforcement by donating and referring the most donors to give a pint of lifesaving blood.  Each donor is asked to cast a vote for Police or Fire.  These votes are tallied throughout the week and the final count determines the winner of the coveted trophy. Law enforcement was victorious in 2009 but has lost the title to firefighters/EMS since 2010. We need the trophy back! Anyone can donate at the area Community Blood Centers this week and indicate they're doing so on behalf of police (or fire/EMS). 

The Battle for Blood meets a critical need for blood donations in the Kansas City area. Supplies are typically quite low in the summer with lots of regular donors on vacation and since school is out of session, there are no high school blood drives.  The Community Blood Center needs 580 units of blood every single day to meet the demand of area medical centers. The Battle for Blood helps do that. Sign up to donate at http://www.savealifenow.org and check the daily progress at https://www.facebook.com/cbckc?hc_location=timeline. And most importantly, go out and donate blood this week and say you're doing it on behalf of police!

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Hotspot Policing Efforts Trending in the Desired Direction

Forty-one homicides have been committed this year. Until this past weekend, two of the four designated hotspot areas were homicide free so far this year. One hotspot area remains void of homicides. The year-to-date homicide total is at a five-year low (2009 - 50, 2010 - 47, 2011 - 42 and 2012 - 45). While the numbers deserve no premature celebration, they most certainly deserve sharing to communicate the positive decline in the reduction in the total loss of lives in our community.


Within three days of my appointment to Chief on October 13, 2011, I implemented hotspot policing to address violent crime by identifying and apprehending offenders as well as to build relationships in the community.

Violent crime reduction is not solely the role of the police. As I travelled around the neighborhoods over the past few months I felt a sense of community as it relates to relationships between the police and other segments of the public. Initially, opponents of the hotspot policing concept peppered me with questions. Questions centered on the likelihood of success, reassignment of resources that might negatively impact the workload in other critical areas, the lack of buy-in from police officers and questions about how success would be measured. With dedicated and committed police personnel, along with other segments of the community, we are making a positive difference in the lives of all we serve. Dedicated patrol officers, detectives and commanders, in cooperation with other segments of the community, are certainly making a difference. This difference is not solely being measured in numbers, but in relationships built on mutual respect and cooperation.

For years I have monitored the homicide rates in the greater metropolitan area. Certain periods of monitoring have evoked varying degrees of emotions, mostly feelings of sadness for the family and friends of the victims. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the death or the lifestyle of the victim, there has never been a moment when I have believed that a single victim had no value. Let us keep in mind that we all should be concerned about the well being of others because we are all in this together!

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.