tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90929707961580017792024-03-13T13:56:07.725-05:00KCPD ChiefChief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comBlogger1096125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-65694197822756250862022-12-12T09:40:00.000-06:002022-12-12T09:40:18.597-06:00KCPD Creates New Community Engagement Division<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Between our police officers and civilian employees, KCPD
has nearly 1,700 department members who serve Kansas City every day and make it
a better place to live.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am proud of this department.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Still, we can be better. We can serve better. And that is
why I have authorized the creation of a new Community Engagement Division
effective Dec. 11.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This division will better utilize the people and
resources that already exist to contribute to Kansas City’s well-being while
still working out of individual patrol divisions. It will unify services we
provide that once functioned within their own silos. Now, they will be
intertwined, helping us communicate better and streamline resources. This will
ultimately provide better service to our residents and businesses.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have selected Major Kari Thompson to lead the new
Community Engagement Division. Thompson, who was most recently the major at
East Patrol Division, will oversee the following:</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">KCPD’s Social Workers</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">KCPD’s Community Interaction Officers (CIOs)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">KCPD’s Crisis Intervention Team (CITs)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">KCPD’s Crime-Free Multi-Housing Officers (CFMH)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">KCPD’s Chaplains<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">KCPD’s newest LGTBQ+ Liaison Officer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our officers already engage with our community each day.
Yet this new division is here to show and remind residents that we’re making
the effort to strengthen our community bonds and improve all our relationships.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our CIT officers are experts at serving people with
mental illnesses, working hand-in-hand with mental health liaisons at treatment
centers. Our social workers connect those in need with resources when law
enforcement is not necessary. Our CFMH officers work with landlords and tenants
at rental properties to reduce crime and create safer neighborhoods. In
countless ways, the Community Engagement Division will meet people where they
are with care and concern. Moving forward, they’ll do all of this united with a
deliberate focus and guidance.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I look forward to watching this new division serve Kansas
City. It will improve our efficiency to ultimately better serve the needs of
our great city.</span></p>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-63796028909259353932022-07-13T11:09:00.004-05:002022-07-13T11:10:46.717-05:00KCPD Implements New Programs To Reduce Violent Crime And Strengthen Relationships <p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">We live in a remarkable city.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kansas City provides the best of everything – food,
music, culture, and friendliness. Together, all of us contribute to making
Kansas City special and envied.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">While it’s world-class (thank you, World Cup), it’s not
perfect. There's too much violent crime. Any violence is too much, really, but
we have more than we should. When I became Interim Police Chief in April, I
said that the Kansas City Missouri Police Department would focus on reducing
violent crime and strengthening community relationships.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Here's what we’re doing:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>KC 360 Pilot
Program <o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">In May, we joined KC 360. This is a pilot program
currently taking place in the Santa Fe and Oak Park neighborhoods. It is
modeled after Omaha 360, which experienced a 74% drop in gun violence from 2008
to 2018.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Omaha 360 has been successful in working with community
partners in the areas of prevention, intervention, and community engagement. The
result has been a large decrease in gun and gang violence.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">In this pilot program, we are listening to what these
communities want. So far, they have said they want data. We’re providing lots
of it, along with specific maps that show the areas with the most problems. In
turn, community partners are intervening by providing services and counseling
to those that might need it. Think victims, witnesses, or even neighbors
experiencing trauma.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">We are thankful to KC Common Good which has helped
spearhead this program. They’ve connected us with partners such as the Mattie
Rhodes Center, AdHoc Group Against Crime, and others wanting to improve the
quality of life in Kansas City.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">How long will this pilot run? We don’t know yet. We’re
trying to learn from it. We’re trying to reduce violent crime. If this works –
and we’re hopeful – this program will expand to the whole city.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Custom
Notifications</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This May, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office came up
with a new idea – custom notifications – and invited KCPD us to take part.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Picture a “reset” button for someone heading towards a
life of violence. Except, there’s no button, but a knock at the door. With
community partners, we’ve started showing up in person to offer alternatives
and resources (such as social workers) to violence.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sometimes the person answering the door is the person at
risk of committing violence. Sometimes, it's a loved one. Our message is the
same: with help and support, you can change your life.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Who is receiving the custom notification? Someone whose
family member has called us. They called because they fear for their relative
and want help. Sometimes, our violent crime intelligence units identify people
at risk for this lifestyle. To be clear, we’re trying to help. But we will
enforce the law when broken.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Impact Squads
Re-Deployment</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">To help prevent violence, our patrol division Impact
Squads now monitor violent crime hot spots that are identified by ongoing crime
analysis. The analysis and deployment of the squads are meant to place officers
in the right spot at the right time. The squads also have the flexibility to
assist with 911 calls to help ensure the fastest possible response time on
emergency calls.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>All-Inclusive Shoot
Review<o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">We review each shooting, both fatal and non-fatal, in
Kansas City weekly, sharing intelligence. Now, we also review select attempted
shootings where the suspect(s) fired and missed, but the risk for retaliation
is high. Identifying suspects in these attempted shootings is important as a
prevention measure. This is vital and is now reviewed weekly as well.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">We know we have much work to do. It’s my hope you know
that we’re doing it.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">We will continue to recalibrate, innovate, and partner
with others to reduce violence in Kansas City. All of us deserve to live safely
in our great city.<o:p></o:p></p>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-38831570099296058362021-06-14T10:52:00.001-05:002021-06-14T10:52:06.175-05:00Police response to those with mental illness has evolved significantly<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Few people in Kansas City have as much day-to-day
interaction with those experiencing mental illness or substance abuse crises as
the members of KCPD. That’s why we have worked diligently for years now to
prepare and equip our staff to safely interact with those in crisis, get them
to the resources they need and, if possible, keep them out of the criminal
justice system.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the early 2010s, we
realized how important it was, so we created a squad of Crisis Intervention
Team (CIT) officers dedicated to serving and following up with members of our
community with mental illness who came to the attention of law enforcement.
They work hand-in-hand with community mental health liaisons (social workers
from mental health treatment providers). In 2020 – even among COVID
restrictions - this squad responded to 675 calls for service involving those
with mental illness. They conducted 464 follow-up visits in addition to that.
They contacted homeless individuals 449 times to help them get treatment and
housing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They also conducted extensive
mental health awareness and de-escalation training for our KCPD officers and
other area law enforcement, as well as community and panel presentations. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to our CIT squad and social workers, thousands of
members of our community got the help they really needed instead of being thrown
into the criminal justice system or having a negative encounter with law
enforcement. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This squad also was integral to the creation of the Kansas
City Assessment and Triage Center (KC-ATC) in the 2600 block of E. 12<sup>th</sup>
Street. It opened in 2016. It’s a </span>public-private partnership between the
KCPD, City of Kansas City, Missouri Department of Mental Health and seven
Kansas City hospitals. It only accepts patients from police or hospital
emergency rooms, and patients must agree to go voluntarily. Before KC-ATC, emergency
rooms used to be the only option for police to take those in mental health or
substance abuse crisis. Patients often were sent on their way with a prescription
for medication and a referral to a mental health care provider. The onus was on
the patient to arrange for their own follow-up care, which many were not in the
correct mental state to do. At KC-ATC, case workers ensure patients are
assigned to their nearest mental health care provider, and that care provider
is charged with following up with the patient.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s
not enough to have just one squad of CIT officers, though. While about 40% of
our department’s officers were CIT-certified, having taken the full 40-hour
course, I felt every single officer needed to know the basics. Now every sworn
KCPD member must take a 2.5-day Introduction to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CIT course. Given their frequent encounters
with those in mental health crisis, this is a benefit to both them and the
community. We developed this course in collaboration with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="https://www.citinternational.org/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">CIT International</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span><span style="background: white;">a not-for-profit organization established in 2006 that is the leader in
promoting safe and humane response to those experiencing a mental health
crisis. One of our own, Major Darren Ivey, serves on its executive committee.
They promote community collaboration using the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
Program to assist people living with mental illness and/or addiction who are in
crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background: white;">CIT International is governed
by a Board of Directors who come from all aspects of the CIT community: law
enforcement, behavioral health, family/advocates, and persons with lived
experiences. It’s led by an executive director. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In addition to the Intro to CIT and basic CIT courses, our
911 call-takers and dispatchers also take extensive CIT training. Many of our
staff members also have taken CIT courses specific to certain populations such
as veterans and youth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our department social service workers also have stepped in
to assist. They have helped many Kansas City residents in crisis get the
resources they need for housing, food, and more. As I stated in a <a href="http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2020/12/social-workers-belong-in-law.html">previous blog</a>, police working with social service workers is one of the most safe and
effective ways to address ongoing issues in our community that have come to the
attention of law enforcement. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Much of our work with those who are in mental illness or
substance abuse crisis involves de-escalation. So many facets of our training
incorporate de-escalation, and we were one of the leaders in developing it in
the <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/media/1390/informant_june.pdf" target="_blank">mid-2010s</a>. A large portion of our annual firearms
training is devoted to preventing use of force encounters. Both our recruit
Academy and annual in-service training include both specific de-escalation
techniques and how they can be used in a variety of situations, from domestic
violence to mental health crises to serving warrants. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As policing evolves, KCPD continues to seek nontraditional
responses. Public-private partnerships, social services and de-escalation are
all examples of the commitment this Department has to our city.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></p>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-12413669158666623212021-05-14T13:25:00.005-05:002021-06-01T15:40:11.646-05:00Hiring freeze depletes police staffing<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Within the month of April, our Police Athletic League had
1,019 contacts with youth. In the current school year, three Youth Programs
Section officers and one sergeant worked with more than 2,000 students teaching
D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. curriculum both virtually and in person in 18 schools.* They spend 15 to 18 hours a week in the classroom. They often eat lunch with
students and join them at recess. Before the pandemic, they reached 4,000
children in 30 schools. The relationships our Youth Services Unit builds
through these interactions are priceless. They build bridges in the community
and help kids make smart choices.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately, however, those programs would be among the
first to get cut if our current hiring freeze continues. We would have to
eliminate elements whose officers primarily are tasked with community policing
and relationship building. The officers assigned to those units would be
reassigned to answer 911 calls, which is our core duty. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So far in 2021, we are losing 8.5 officers per month to
attrition. Last year, the average was 7.58 per month. The number has risen
steadily since 2011, when the average officer loss was just 3.25 per month.
This usually is not much of an issue because we are able to fill those
positions with new recruits coming out of the Academy. We have not had an
Academy class since February 2020 due to funding, however, so we have continued
to fall farther and farther behind on staffing. We are down 116 officers and do
not have the budget to replace them. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If KCPD continues to lose officers at the 8.5 per month
rate, we will have 1,151 by April 2022. That is equivalent to the amount
of officers KCPD had in 1993, at which time Kansas City, Mo., had a population
of about 435,000. Our city now approaches 500,000 in population. The 1,151
number assumes the 8.5 per month loss rate does not increase. Given the
increases over the last 10 years, however, it seems that number will continue
to climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It takes 10 months of training both in our Academy and in
the field until a new officer can operate independently. Hypothetically, if we
were able to start a new Academy class on June 1, those recruits would not be
in the work force until April 2022. Even then, they would still be on probationary
status for an additional six months. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In short, our current hiring freeze is setting the
Department back in adequate staffing for years to come. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Practically, what does this look like? I already mentioned
the reduction of community outreach programs. Increased response times also
will be inevitable. Earlier this week we had to send officers from Shoal Creek
Patrol Division north of the Missouri River all the way down to the southern
end of the city in South Patrol to answer a 911 call because no one else was
available. Residents already are waiting for some time for police to respond to
non-injury crashes, burglaries, property damage and other incidents not
involving threats to life or safety, and they deserve more prompt service. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Those increased response times will impact other emergency
services, as well. Paramedics, EMTs and firefighters rely on police to ensure
their safety before entering many types of situations. So far just this year,
police have had to render the scene safe for the Kansas City Fire Department
nearly 6,100 times. Many of those are medical emergencies in which seconds mean
the difference between life or death. A delayed response from police in these
situations will put lives on the line. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So far I’ve only discussed the shortage of police officers
in the hiring freeze. Our professional staff are experiencing significant
reductions, as well. We’re losing about seven non-sworn staff members per month.
How does this impact the public? One example is our Crime Laboratory. We are down
11 people there currently, which is 15% of the staff. This will lead to case
backlogs and significant delays in solving crimes using science and technology.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The people who live, work and play in Kansas City expect and
deserve quality police service. A safe city drives economic development, which
improves everyone’s quality of life. Given our current budgetary restrictions,
we are increasingly unable to provide the kind of service our community has
come to expect. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are asking for the community’s support to get the funding
to end our hiring freeze. The City received $97.5 million from the American
Rescue Plan Act. We ask that you ask your city council members to allocate some
of that to the Police Department so that we can provide the timely response, criminal
investigations and much-needed community engagement you deserve.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> * Jackson County COMBAT provides a portion of the funding for our D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. programs.</span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-63383578855417229672021-04-16T16:29:00.000-05:002021-04-16T16:29:10.582-05:00New First Amendment policy responds to community requests<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On March 23, our Board of Police Commissioners approved a
policy that we have been working toward since early last summer: the <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/media/3374/pi-21-04-first-amendment-protected-activities.pdf" target="_blank">First Amendment Protected Activities Policy.</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was a reform requested by our community. The new policy
establishes guidelines and procedures for department members when engaging with
individuals participating in First Amendment-protected activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We take an oath to uphold the Constitution, to include the
First Amendment. Protecting everyone’s right to expression is integral to our
mission. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The department did extensive legal research and looked into
best practices nationwide to draft the new policy. Members met with community
stakeholders, city leaders, prosecutors and others to create the policy that
addresses community concerns. As the policy was being created, we revised it multiple
times in response to their suggestions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The new policy directs members to minimize displays of
force. It states, “The display of armored vehicles, personal protective
equipment or other displays of force will be minimized to the extent safely
possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also states,
“Members will make all reasonable efforts to allow law-abiding individuals to
continue to exercise their First Amendment protected rights, and will focus
efforts on those individuals in the active assembly who violate the law.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The First Amendment Policy explicitly prohibits officers
from using less-lethal weapons and munitions – other than chemical agents – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to disperse crowds in the event of an unlawful
assembly. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We have listened to the changes the community wanted to see,
and we have implemented them. We are here to support and protect the exercise
of First Amendment rights. More times than I can count, officers have risked
their personal safety to shield a demonstrator from violence by a
counter-protestor or something similar. We have blocked streets to protect
marchers from vehicles on numerous occasions, as we have also protected
drivers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We ask that participants do their part, as well, by
respecting the safety and property of others, as the law requires at all other
times. It is our duty to balance the freedom of expression with public safety. We
are willing to work with any group or individual to coordinate the successful
exercise their constitutional rights. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are working hard to support First Amendment rights, and we
look forward to the community supporting the rights of everyone to be safe and secure,
as well.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-562513524425120772021-01-08T16:23:00.000-06:002021-01-08T16:23:02.355-06:00With KC's 2020 homicide increase below national average and clearance rates above, KCPD works to buck violent crime trends<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kansas City, Mo., was, tragically, part of a national trend
that saw a large increase in homicides in 2020. The KCPD, however, is doing
everything to buck those trends. Our homicide rate dropped significantly in the
fall, and our clearance rate for 2020 was well above the national average.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not all the national data from 2020 have been compiled yet,
but FBI statistics from the first nine months show that homicides were up 20.9
percent in America. In the nation’s 69 largest cities, homicides through Sept.
30, 2020, were up by 28.7%, according to the <a href="https://www.majorcitieschiefs.com/pdf/news/mcca_violent_crime_report_2020_and_2019_jan1tosept30.pdf" target="_blank">Major Cities Chiefs Association</a>.
Kansas City recorded 148 homicides in 2019 and 176 in 2020. That’s a 19%
increase, which was below the national average in increased homicides.
(Although right now the national average is composed of just the first nine
months of 2020.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But all the numbers do not ease the grief of anyone who lost
a loved one to violence, and 2020 was, indeed, a record-setting homicide year
in our city. That’s why we undertook many initiatives to combat the violence,
such as assigning additional homicide and assault <a href="http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2020/01/were-making-changes-to-address.html" target="_blank">detectives</a> and Operation LeGend – a 10-week influx of nearly 200 federal agents to help us
solve violent crime cases and get the most violent offenders into custody. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Homicides <a href="http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2020/10/operation-legend-isnt-over-and-kc.html" target="_blank">fell significantly</a> after Operation LeGend,
which ran from mid-July to mid-September. You can see the monthly rate of
homicides this year compared to the average over the past five years. We cannot
definitively say Operation LeGend was the cause, but there was correlation.
Before Operation LeGend, we were on pace to have more than 200 homicides in
2020.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4wXKwDzz6SUbhwYfnQwX3zHac9E6rYEZ-Bl8y5cGKQQtmX7Bn4kPK5zn6-C4F2t4CeefjBg1IF7w2e62Vtpj30CGy3zWx90BJO_m4V3IVT-F8-wgEdkemiXAQRYR344x1diCsPFrlkA/s924/2020+homicides+by+month.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="924" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4wXKwDzz6SUbhwYfnQwX3zHac9E6rYEZ-Bl8y5cGKQQtmX7Bn4kPK5zn6-C4F2t4CeefjBg1IF7w2e62Vtpj30CGy3zWx90BJO_m4V3IVT-F8-wgEdkemiXAQRYR344x1diCsPFrlkA/w400-h245/2020+homicides+by+month.PNG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">We also worked diligently to get justice for those who were killed.
Based on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Rate (UCR) <a href="https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/clearances#:~:text=Overview,by%20arrest%20or%20exceptional%20means" target="_blank">standard</a>,
our homicide clearance rate for 2020 was 73%. That’s up significantly from
2019, when it was 55%. The FBI reported that the national average homicide
clearance rate was 61.4% in 2019, the most recent data available. It typically
hovers in the low 60s. Despite a higher workload, our investigators were able
to bring justice to the loved ones of 128 victims in 2020. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our clearance rates go against national trends recently
noted in the <a href=" https://www.wsj.com/articles/police-are-solving-fewer-murders-during-covid-19-pandemic-11608994800" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>,
showing that police in the United States have been clearing fewer murders
during the pandemic. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Despite being below the national average for homicide
increases, the increase was nonetheless devastating for our community. We had
1- and 4-year-old murder victims. Fathers, sons, brothers, mothers, sisters and
daughters lost their lives to senseless violence, inflicting untold trauma on
families. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The men and women of the Kansas City Missouri Police
Department, alongside our community, local, state and federal partners, will do
everything we can to prevent and solve these crimes. Operation LeGend left us with
additional <a href="http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2020/10/operation-legend-isnt-over-and-kc.html" target="_blank">federal resources</a> to stop gun crimes and more. As always, police cannot succeed in a vacuum, so
we need the help of residents to make their neighborhoods safer. If you know
something that can help us solve or prevent a violent crime, let the TIPS
Hotline know at 816-474-TIPS (8477). You could even earn a $25,000 cash reward
and stay anonymous. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.</span></p><br />Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-74977611634100791932020-12-18T14:26:00.001-06:002020-12-18T14:26:37.235-06:00Social workers belong in law enforcement but cannot replace officers<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the last three weeks, two social workers have been killed
in the line of duty. On Nov. 30, a man in Seattle stabbed his caseworker,
Kristin Benson, to death. On Dec. 2, a man in Melbourne, Florida, shot and
killed Travis Knight, a social worker with whom the suspect had worked at a mental
health treatment facility. This also happened to a Kansas City-area social
worker in 2004. A 17-year-old in Johnson County attacked his mental health
social worker, <a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/may/17/grisly_details_johnson_county_social_workers_slayi/" target="_blank">Teri Zenner,</a> with a knife and chainsaw when she did a home visit
in 2004. She died at the scene.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Social work is a dangerous profession. A 2017 <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-20-deadliest-jobs-in-america-ranked/2/" target="_blank">CBS News article</a> named it the 20<sup>th</sup> most deadly job in America, with 1
death per 100,000. (Police and firefighters ranked at No. 15, with 6.2 deaths
per 100,000.) But social work also is a very important profession. So much so
that we brought them onto the police department to be assigned to work
alongside police officers beginning in late 2017. As far as I know, we were the
first police department in the United States to employ full-time social workers
who work from officer referrals. Before that, our CIT officers were borrowing
mental health social workers to come along on calls with them whenever they
could.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Social work absolutely has a place in law enforcement, but
it cannot replace law enforcement, as many people have demanded this year. People
who are in mental health or substance abuse crisis are not stable. They’re not
always dangerous, but they can be. The criminal justice system is not the way
to treat people with mental illness, but it does work to ensure people’s
safety. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">An example one of our social workers cites is when she got
called along with officers to a woman wearing only a sundress on a freezing
January day, walking along a sidewalk with children who also were not dressed
appropriately for the weather. That sounds like the perfect call for a social
worker, right? With officers nearby, our social worker approached the woman.
She talked to the woman and her children, and found out they had been walking
in the cold for more than 18 hours non-stop. A toddler in a stroller and none
of the other children nor the woman had eaten or drank for that time. The woman
was on PCP. After initially talking peacefully to our social worker, the woman
became violent, which is not uncommon for users of that drug. Thankfully, the
officers were there to step in to stop the woman and protect the social worker
and the woman’s own children. The social worker, in turn, was able to get
resources for the family immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many issues come to the attention of police that no amount
of enforcement will solve. Social workers have the training, time and resources
to address issues police can’t. Our social workers helped us address issues
with unruly youth on the Country Club Plaza – an issue we’d tried for years to
enforce our way out of with limited success. They’ve gotten resources for
families involved in feuds that could have escalated into violence, but with
their intervention, did not. They’ve helped individuals contemplating suicide
get mental health treatment. They’ve gotten housing for the homeless. Desperate
people do desperate things, and our social service workers do an amazing job
helping reduce that desperation and the criminal acts that might arise from it.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The reason it works so well is that the police and social
workers work together. With police by their sides, the social workers have the
luxury of knowing they can safely assist unstable individuals with resources to
bring them to stability. And with social workers by their sides, police have
the resources to solve what once were hopeless situations. Social workers and
cops work better together. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Imagine what would have happened to our social worker after
the mother on PCP turned violent. The social worker likely would have been
attacked, injured or worse. The mother also presented a safety threat to her
own children. Having the police there protected everyone. The social worker, in
turn, helped police get care and assistance for the children right away. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I believe this law enforcement-social work partnership is
the future of policing in America, and I’m glad we were at the forefront. It
has led to very desirable outcomes in Kansas City, and not a single social
worker has been injured. It is irresponsible to send untrained, unarmed social
workers out to deal with volatile and potentially violent individuals. No call
is ever “routine.” But it makes a world of sense to put their specialized
training to work alongside law enforcement so they can stay safe while
effecting the kind of change police cannot.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org </a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-71805639464539452512020-11-13T10:00:00.001-06:002020-11-13T10:00:09.352-06:00Honors for heroism show that even in a difficult year, officers haven't wavered in their duty to protect and serve<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Friday, Nov. 13, will be the 49</span><sup style="font-family: verdana;">th</sup><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Annual
Metropolitan Chiefs and Sheriffs Association Awards for Valor. This event
honors officers across the metro area for acts of bravery and heroism, and many
KCPD members will be recognized. While this event has happened for nearly 50
years, the year during which these officers performed these acts has been
anything but ordinary. We are under more scrutiny than ever before, but still,
these officers did not hesitate to run toward danger and put themselves at
great risk of harm.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The ceremony will stream live on KCPD’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/kansascitypolice" target="_blank">YouTube Channel</a>. Missouri awards will be presented at 10 a.m., followed by Kansas awards
at 11:30 a.m. (The ceremony had to be split this year to accommodate social
distancing.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some of these incidents you may have heard about, like the
officers who stopped a vehicle on the Super Bowl parade route in February.
Others, you may have heard a little about – such as our officers getting shot –
but didn’t realize all of the heroism behind the scenes. Here are just a few of
the Kansas City Missouri Police officers who will be receiving awards and what
they did: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: verdana;">Domestic
Violence Rescue<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />
Officers Jared Littleton, Devin Jackson and Dakota Stone were all dispatched at
1:30 a.m. July 3, 2019, to an address in the East Patrol Division area, in regard
to an armed man. As they neared the address, three children came running
towards their police vehicles and told the officers their step-father was
cutting their mother with a knife. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As they approached
the doorway to enter the home, they announced themselves and saw a man with his
back to the officers, pinning a woman against the wall. The officers heard a
woman scream, “Help me, he is going to kill me!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The officers
immediately gave verbal commands to the man to drop the knife and get on the
ground. After a few tense moments, the man finally complied, dropped the knife
and laid on the ground where he was taken into custody. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The woman was safe
from the threat, but she had a severe cut on her left thumb from where the man
had cut her with the knife. She told officers the man was her husband and this
was not the first time he had threatened to kill her. During this particular
incident, she was standing in the living room when her husband grabbed a knife
from the kitchen and told her to go the bedroom. She did and the man followed
her, but he stopped at her daughter’s room, pointed the knife at her and
demanded her cell phone so she couldn’t call the police. During the
confrontation, the woman’s son came out of his room yelling, “No daddy, don’t
kill my mom!” The man said he didn’t care, he knew the police were coming and
he was going to kill her tonight and began to attack her. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thankfully, the
officers arrived quickly and made decisive actions, saving the woman and her
children from a potentially life-threatening situation, while keeping
themselves and the man safe from injuries. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: verdana;">Triple-Homicide
Suspects Caught Red-Handed<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Officers Cody Halterman and Levi Plaschka had been
concentrating their patrol efforts on the area of 45<sup>th</sup> and Benton in
October 2019 because a great deal of shootings and narcotics activity were
taking place there. On the night of October 17, 2019, they were in that area
and heard two groups of gunshots on the same block where they were. They saw a
woman carrying a rifle enter a parked car and another man standing nearby. Then
they saw a man lying in the street behind the car. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They ordered the woman out of the car, and Officer Plaschka
took her into custody. As he was doing so, Officer Halterman heard footsteps
and turned to see the man standing by the car running away. Officer Halterman
ran after him and eventually caught him in the backyard of a home in the 4500
block of Chestnut.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meanwhile, Officer Plaschka looked in the car the woman had
been in and saw the rifle in the front passenger seat. He then checked on the
man lying on the street and found him dead from multiple gunshot wounds. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Once additional officers arrived, Officer Plaschka did a
canvass of the immediate area to check for any other possible victims. He found
a house with the front door hanging open. He discovered two more victims
inside, dead from gunshot wounds. He cleared the rest of the house, finding no
one else inside. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Subsequent investigation revealed the woman with the rifle
and the man Officer Halterman chased down were responsible for the killing of
all three victims, and the rifle was the murder weapon. Because the officers
immediately caught both suspects “red-handed,” both suspects were quickly
charged with first-degree murder and multiple other charges in the triple
homicide. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: verdana;">Officers Stop
Bus Shooter</span></u></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A
Kansas City Missouri Police officer who was injured in a shooting on July 2 of
this year thankfully survived.</span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The
call started mid-morning with a distress signal from a Kansas City Area
Transportation Authority (KCATA) bus operator. She had just witnessed a
stealing at Independence Avenue and Wilson Avenue and the suspect had just entered
her bus after committing the theft. The driver stopped the bus at Independence
Ave. and Hardesty Ave., where her supervisor met her. To avoid drawing the
attention of the suspect, the bus driver told the supervisor there was a
problem with the bus.</span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As
suspect got up to question the bus driver about the stop, two marked police
vehicles pulled up behind the bus. Officer Sticken was alerted to the distress
signal because of his unique assignment as a liaison to the KCATA. Officers
Cruz and Gemell were dispatched to the call, as well. Officer Sticken got out
of his vehicle and walked alongside the bus toward the front door as Officers
Cruz and Gemmell followed from a distance.</span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The
suspect noticed the officers approaching and reached into a bag he was
carrying. He pulled out a handgun and began shooting at Officer Sticken from
inside the bus. Officer Sticken was shot in the shoulder, after which he
retreated to nearby cover and fell to the ground.</span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The
suspect exited the bus and continued shooting at Officer Sticken as he lay on
the ground. Officer Sticken recalls hearing the handgun click three times. The suspect
then ran to the front of the bus and shot through the windshield, striking the bus
operator. He then began to pace near the corner of the intersection, still
holding the gun, as Officers Cruz and Gemmell approached him. As he saw the
officers coming toward him, he shot at them, but they were able to return fire,
causing the suspect to fall to the ground. He was taken into custody, and they
promptly rendered aid until paramedics arrived.</span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Officer
Sticken suffered an abrasion to his shoulder that resulted from the shots being
fired at him. The bus driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The
suspect also had non-life-threatening injuries. The officer was treated and
released from an area hospital the same day. The suspect was charged with
multiple counts relating to the shootings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: verdana;">Officer
Seriously Wounded, Rescued by Fellow Officers</span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The same day KCPD
Officer Sticken was shot, July 2, 2020, another KCPD officer was also shot,
placing him in a fight for his life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A call came into
dispatch of a man pointing a gun at citizens at a fast food drive-through near
31st and Van Brunt. In the middle of the call, the caller said the suspect had
just tried to carjack someone and was acting erratically. Dispatch sent
Officers Nathan Anderson and Tyler Webster to the location, and on their way,
they made phone contact with the 911 caller. The caller told them the armed
suspect was walking south from the location, which the officers relayed to
other responding officers. Due to the nature of the call, Sergeant Justin
Palmer also responded. Officers Tyler Moss and Mark Diviak also responded to
assist. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As Officers Diviak
and Moss arrived to the scene, an individual began shooting at their police
vehicle. They quickly turned their vehicle around and relayed the information
to other officers. An “assist the officer” was ‘toned’ out by dispatch. The
tone is very distinctive and unforgettable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After shooting at
the officers, the suspect ran towards a building in the 3300 block of Stadium
Drive. Officers Moss and Diviak exited their vehicle and began to walk in the
direction the suspect ran. They were quickly joined by Officers Levi Plaschka
and Landon Hartley. Sergeant Palmer and Officers Anderson and Webster also
responded. Sergeant Palmer advised all officers to slow down and to move as
safely as possible while searching for the suspect.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Officers Moss,
Diviak, Hartley and Plaschka were already moving one direction, so Sergeant
Palmer and Officers Anderson and Webster began to look for the suspect in the
other direction. Officer Jamison Raines arrived on the scene and joined the
officers. Officers Moss and Plaschka saw the suspect first and gave orders to
show his hands. The suspect immediately began shooting at the officers,
striking Officer Moss in the head. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Officer Moss
dropped to the ground. Without hesitation, Officer Plaschka stood over Officer
Moss and shot the suspect. Officers Diviak, Hartley, and Anderson quickly
grabbed Officer Moss and carried him to safety while Officer Plaschka
maintained the safety of the other officers. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After hearing the
assist the officer tone and then the fateful “officer down” radio transmission,
Sergeant Jason Childers immediately responded to the location near where
Officer Moss was with the other officers. Sergeant Childers was at the station
when the tone went out, having just left the first officer-involved shooting
scene from earlier that day. Officer Alisha Shockley also responded to the
assist call. With the scene still not safe or secure, Sergeant Childers drove
to where the officers had Moss, and they put him into the back of the
sergeant’s vehicle. Officer Alisha Shockley jumped into the vehicle and
immediately applied pressure to the injury, while Officer Diviak stayed by
Officer Moss’ side the entire drive to the hospital. The decision to take
Officer Moss in their own vehicle was a matter of life or death. One of Moss’
doctors said at a later press conference. “If his colleagues waited for EMS –
and that’s no knock on EMS – but this type of injury, minutes and seconds are
vital,” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At the scene,
Sergeant Palmer maintained his composure over the radio and continued to clear
the location with the remaining officers. There was information from the
original call indicating there was another armed individual with the suspect.
After a thorough search, it was determined that there was only one suspect
involved. The suspect died as a result of his injuries. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Officer Moss was
rushed into surgery and remained in critical condition. His coworkers and many
on the Department were at the hospital supporting him and his family the entire
time. After two weeks of ICU care, miraculously he no longer needed breathing
assistance and had become more alert. He started physical therapy and was able
to stand with assistance. On July 23, just three weeks after doctors gave him
just a 1% chance of survival, he was released from the hospital to continue his
healing at a rehabilitation facility out of state. The facility focused on
brain injury and neurological rehabilitation and recovery. He was able to come
home to Kansas City a few weeks ago.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">All the officers
involved displayed courage and bravery, and each played a vital role in saving
the life of Officer Moss and the keeping the people of Kansas City safe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">These are just a
few of the extraordinary acts officers have performed, and they are only the
ones from KCPD. Many more from other metro-area agencies will be recognized on
Friday. At a time when many people question every move officers make, your
metro-area officers still do not hesitate to lay their lives on the line to
save others. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our dedication to
duty is unwavering. We have answered and will continue to answer every call for
help, no matter the person’s politics, beliefs, socioeconomic status, race or
even COVID-19 diagnosis. In a pandemic, in civil unrest, or on just an
otherwise unremarkable day, KCPD and our metro-area partners will be there when
you need help, no matter what.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-21858445368477803962020-10-16T14:07:00.006-05:002020-10-16T14:07:48.718-05:00Operation LeGend isn’t over, and KC homicide rate continues to decrease<span style="font-family: verdana;">The “surge” portion of Operation LeGend may be complete in Kansas City, but this partnership between KCPD and our federal law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime is going to continue well into the future. <br /><br />I am at a meeting of the Major City Chiefs Association today at which U.S. Attorney General William Barr is discussing Operation LeGend. Operation LeGend brought hundreds of federal agents into Kansas City to help our agency investigate violent crimes during an unprecedented increase. They helped us take dozens of murderers, and many more shooters, robbers and other perpetrators of violent crime into custody. They brought the resources of the entire federal criminal justice system to Kansas City, meaning many of those suspects now are facing federal charges and are in custody in federal detention until their trials. <br /><br />The homicide rate in Kansas City has dropped precipitously since the implementation of Operation LeGend, as you can see in this chart. </span><br /> <br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KzlMhWMJxckM9x2nM2YIuoQcMv9df0QMicN0cdHGf_fcVUD0Jg3E8eX5_6U7c_dsDMLybCtj3kVVdLK_FlYsTtuo1mdZqyy9OmnihL8JARvq8eJ8ZKHa75yxrv2bHwOtDohphVgohmU/s912/Operation+LeGend+homicides.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="912" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KzlMhWMJxckM9x2nM2YIuoQcMv9df0QMicN0cdHGf_fcVUD0Jg3E8eX5_6U7c_dsDMLybCtj3kVVdLK_FlYsTtuo1mdZqyy9OmnihL8JARvq8eJ8ZKHa75yxrv2bHwOtDohphVgohmU/w400-h293/Operation+LeGend+homicides.PNG" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The resources of Operation LeGend allowed us to investigate violent crimes and arrest suspects much faster than we would have been able to do alone. Their assistance with analysis, interviewing witnesses and suspects who have left the metro area and more have been invaluable. <br /><br />Operation LeGend is not over. While we have long had a great working relationship with our federal law enforcement partners, those relationships are being enhanced. For many years, we have had several specialized squads composed of both KCPD and federal agents, and that’s growing. The FBI’s Kansas City Field Office will embed additional personnel in our Violent Crimes Division. <br /><br />The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) also has created a new criminal enforcement group in Kansas City made up of eight agents and a supervisor. They are assigned to work full time with our Assault Squad to investigate non-fatal shootings. They work alongside our detectives here in KCPD Headquarters on things like ballistics intelligence to connect shootings and link suspects to firearms. They also are helping us charge shooters with federal gun law violations to get them off the streets as soon as possible. <br /><br />There is still work to be done. The additional federal resources coming through the continuation of Operation LeGend will help us continue to hold violent offenders accountable and increase safety in our neighborhoods. <br /><br />Operation LeGend is about enforcement, but we have all heard that police can’t “arrest our way out” of a violent crime issue. That’s why we’re working with faith leaders in the Getting to the Heart of the Matter initiative to address some of the root causes of crime. It’s why we partnered with churches from the Northland to the Southland this past weekend on Faith and Blue events that provided more than 45,000 meals to residents. It’s why we employ social workers and a specialized Crisis Intervention Team Squad and so much more. <br /><br />The KCPD is working to address violent crime from multiple angles, and the help of both federal and community partners makes that work so much more effective. </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></div>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-65611308674801587422020-09-30T06:30:00.008-05:002020-09-30T06:30:05.368-05:00Proposed budget cuts would mean loss of 400 police personnel<span style="font-family: verdana;">A reporter asked me at a press conference on Monday how helpful the 200 additional federal agents were who came to Kansas City to help us amid an unprecedented spike in violent crime for Operation LeGend. After I said how much those additional resources helped, the reporter asked what a 400-person reduction to our department would mean to solving and preventing crime. Quite frankly, it would be devastating.<br /><br />We are already doing our part to help in these tough economic times. We’ve cut $5.6 million from the current fiscal year’s budget this summer. Like other city departments, we are being asked by the City Finance Department to provide scenarios for what an 11% budget cut would look like for fiscal year 2021-22. That’s nearly $26 million for us. To make that number, we would have to reduce about 400 employees, and the remainder would have to take two-week furloughs. Below I’ll outline some of the proposals we’re considering to meet those numbers, and then I’ll share what that means to the average person who lives, works or visits Kansas City: <br /><br /><b>PROPOSALS TO MEET AN 11% REDUCTION </b><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Close North Patrol Division (which serves about 67,600 people across 84.8 square miles) and consolidate it with Shoal Creek Patrol Division; and close Central Patrol Division (which serves about 62,300 people across 17 square miles) and consolidate it with East Patrol. That removes one-third of police stations in Kansas City.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Eliminate the Helicopter Unit, a Traffic Enforcement Squad, Community Interaction Officers, School Resource Officers, Police Athletic League, CAN Centers, social workers and a majority of Impact Squad officers, who proactively address crime. All of those officers would be reassigned to patrol and answer 911 calls. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Reduce property crimes detectives.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"> A hiring freeze and no new Academy classes in 2020 or 2021. We would lose more than 120 police officers through this. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"> A reduction of 13 people at the Kansas City Regional Crime Lab.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Eliminate numerous support staff positions in areas ranging from information technology to fleet operations.</span></li></ul><br /><b>WHAT THIS MEANS </b><br /><br /><b>· When you call 911 </b><br /><br /></span><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- When you call 911, you will likely be put on hold.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Response times will be longer. Response times will be greatest north of the River and in the Southland. You can see on this graph what our current response times are by division. At minimum, increase that by 11%. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx7gpsboNUgZIZkPpmoFNjoXmcF5iL31Ln1GGON2HOaCG8gaO2EIsSvbOGisUMGciyJxWFTxe6k3sat2Kpco9qfO6UMfw29Mjc4xvfKvAaZ0vxJ0ipZFK8kCyQWJqA6yJg7QzXcjOtrY/s1115/August+response+times.PNG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx7gpsboNUgZIZkPpmoFNjoXmcF5iL31Ln1GGON2HOaCG8gaO2EIsSvbOGisUMGciyJxWFTxe6k3sat2Kpco9qfO6UMfw29Mjc4xvfKvAaZ0vxJ0ipZFK8kCyQWJqA6yJg7QzXcjOtrY/w575-h423/August+response+times.PNG" /></a></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Service may be diminished.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- If you do report a crime, there will be fewer detectives to investigate your crime.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- We will have to prioritize response to violent crime. It’s highly likely we will have to stop responding to non-injury crashes, car and home break-ins and other property crimes. Victims would be asked to report those to police stations, themselves. Only the property crimes with greatest losses would be investigated.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Crime Lab backlogs will slow the ability to solve cases. </span></blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /><b>· In the community </b><br /><br /></span><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- All of our positions that focus on community policing would have to be eliminated to focus on our core mission of answering 911 calls and investigating violent crime.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- The people who need police service the most are our most economically disadvantaged. They’re <a href="http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2020/07/budget-cuts-will-affect-police-service.html" target="_blank">who call 911 </a>the most and have the least resources. They are who our social workers assist. They are who will be hurt most by cuts to the police department.<br /> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- All youth programming would be eliminated. This carries greater costs. The Police Athletic League, for example, is funded by a 501c3 that pumps about $500,000 a year into the urban core. That community investment would go away.<br /> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Reduced traffic and parking enforcement.<br /> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- No new hires means no additional way to have staff who reflect the community. The Academy class we already cut this year was set to be our most diverse ever.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Reduced Internal Affairs detectives could impact officer accountability.<br /> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Our community already has stepped up over the years to provide funding for equipment needed to solve and prevent crime and enhance officer accountability, such as license-plate readers, body-worn cameras and ballistic helmets. What does this mean for all of their contributions? </span></blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /><b>LONG-TERM IMPACTS </b><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The last time we took a major budget hit was in the recession of 2008. It took us 10 years to come close to regaining the staffing we had then. It takes about a year and a half to recruit, process, hire and train a new police officer on our department. We had more than 1,400 officer positions prior to 2008. We’re now at a little more than 1,300.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">These reductions would put us at less than 1,000 officers. The last time that occurred was in 1970. After the passage of the 1% Earnings Tax in 1971, we hired 200 more officers. Does Kansas City really want to go backward 50 years?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">We have had an unprecedented increase in violent crime in 2020. One can only imagine how that will change with reduced law enforcement presence and reduced investigations. </span></li></ul> <br /><b>WHAT WE’VE ALREADY DONE AND RESIDENT PRIORITIES </b><br /><br />We have implemented numerous reforms the public has requested. Among these are implementing <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/media/news-releases/body-camera-update/" target="_blank">body-worn cameras</a>, having an outside agency investigate officer-involved shootings, changing our policy to explicitly include the duty for officers to intervene in an excessive-force situation and revising our tactics during protests. <br /><br />We already cut $5.6 million from the current fiscal year’s budget. We eliminated 90 positions and canceled all Academy classes. In the reduced economy that has arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic, we realize sacrifices are needed. <br /><br />Just like many families have had to do in the past six months, we’ve had to prioritize our budget. That is something the Kansas City government must do now. In the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey, residents placed police services as their No. 2 funding priority, just below street and sidewalk infrastructure. <br /><br />If we do have to make a 400-person reduction, everyone who lives or works in Kansas City will still pay 100% of their taxes, but they won’t get the same police service they're used to. The residents and businesses of Kansas City have come to expect a certain level of police service that they will no longer receive. That, in turn, can have an economic impact on people wanting to do business and live in Kansas City, which would perpetuate budget problems. <br /><br /><br />These cuts are not a foregone conclusion. City leaders have a choice to make between now and when the new fiscal year starts May 1, 2021, and they will base much of that on what they hear from residents. We look forward to residents participating in these discussions. </span>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-46118457508071672522020-08-25T10:06:00.000-05:002020-08-25T10:06:38.029-05:00In violent year, KCPD’s homicide clearance rate remains well above average<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Despite a record-high workload, the Kansas City Missouri
Police Department is maintaining a clearance rate that is well above-average
for homicide cases. Our solve rate is even higher.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our clearance rate is recorded as a Uniform Crime Report
(UCR) rate, as mandated by the FBI. Our UCR clearance rate is 70% today. The
national average is 62%. UCR is based on casework completed this year compared
to total homicides this year. It gives credit to all cases solved in 2020,
regardless of whether the homicide occurred in years prior. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As of today, we have cleared 62 homicides from 2020 and 27
from previous years, for a total of 89. Just last week we identified persons of
interest in two 2019 homicide cases. Our detectives and crime lab staff deserve
for their work to be counted on those cases, as well, which is what UCR does. We
will never stop seeking justice on unsolved homicides.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Most homicides aren’t solved like on television shows. If we
don’t figure out who did it at the scene, there’s extensive work that needs to
happen in the days, weeks and months that follow: witness interviews,
extracting data from phones, social media analysis, video review, forensic
analysis of DNA, firearms and other evidence. Those things take time. They also
take people and equipment, and both of those are finite resources. All of those
things are vitally important to ensure we identify the right person as a
suspect and put forward a case that can successfully be prosecuted. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The violence in Kansas City this year was outpacing our
capacity, despite the addition of eight additional homicide squad detectives
and 12 additional assault squad detectives earlier this year. (Aggravated assaults,
usually shootings, often are the precursors to homicides.) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That’s why Operation LeGend has been so helpful. By giving
us additional investigators and resources, they have allowed us to conduct
these investigations at a faster rate than we could have on our own. Operation
LeGend is assisting not just with homicides but with all violent crimes:
shootings, robberies and more. And since they have been in town, the pace of
homicides and other violent crime has slowed, which is good for everyone in
Kansas City. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Operation LeGend also has helped in detaining violent
criminals prior to trial. Police are only the first stop in the criminal
justice system. Courts, judges, prosecutors, corrections and probation and
parole all have a part to play in holding accountable those who would harm
others. Officers can make arrests all day, every day, but if the rest of the
system doesn’t keep up, dangerous people remain in the community. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That’s why we define a case that is “cleared” differently
from a case that is “solved.” Solved is what we can do. Cleared is up to other
players in the criminal justice system. Solved means we have probable cause to
charge a suspect for a crime. Cleared generally means that the county
prosecutor’s office agreed and charged the suspect or the case was
<a href="https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/clearances" target="_blank">exceptionally cleared</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We currently have 14 cases submitted to prosecutors’
offices, of which 13 of these are solved - not cleared - cases. One case is
cleared, but there are still additional suspects to charge. The remainders are
awaiting charging decisions by prosecutors or a grand jury’s decision. If every
solved case was a cleared case, we would have 102 total cases cleared this year,
for an 80% solve rate.<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Community cooperation continues to be vital for us in continuing
to clear these cases. In so many cases, all it takes is one person coming
forward. And in all homicide cases, you can remain anonymous and get a $25,000
reward. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></p>Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-79388249978125785092020-07-10T12:07:00.001-05:002020-07-10T12:23:23.188-05:00Budget cuts will affect police service to those who need it most<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like so many other cities, Kansas City is facing an economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas City Missouri Police Department, along with all other City departments, is being asked to identify 4.5% of our budget that could be cut. For us, that’s about $10.5 million. We know that we will have to make sacrifices like everyone else, and we are actively working on the best ways to do that. <br /><br />Typically, between 85% and 90% of our budget goes to personnel costs, so personnel would have to comprise a majority of the cuts. We already had dozens of open positions that will not be filled. We are not starting the next scheduled Academy class, and probably will cancel the next three classes. <br /><br />What’s particularly unfortunate about canceling the next 30-member class is that it was to consist of 50% minority recruits. Our Employment Unit had done an excellent job recruiting people who reflect our community and come from diverse backgrounds. We hope they still will want to serve Kansas City when revenues allow them to. We typically have three to four Academy classes per year to keep up with attrition. <br /><br />The problem with reducing personnel is that it inevitably means service gets reduced. Below is a heat map of where our 911 calls originated in the first half of 2020 (Jan. 1 – June 30). The darker blue areas showed where the most people called police for help. If you’re at all familiar with the socioeconomic make-up of our city, you will see that the most 911 calls come from the most impoverished areas of our city. Reducing police personnel will reduce service to the most economically disadvantaged of our residents. They are the ones who <b>request our help </b>the most, and they are ultimately the ones who potentially will suffer the most from reduced police staffing. (Click to see the map full size.)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimo0fwj10MObgy2D4ly2LKLoFZVsgU8HmVOE1Lo9Q1_D-xrpfWWbLn06FQ_EjOa0OLweSvOVO_2d1gi87nGehtvQiGIbK9JJwcKC00p_UR_EuqYdwLiPS3w9z-KEr5VSO5mxUAlbUIvzc/s1600/KCMO+911+Map+2020.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1237" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimo0fwj10MObgy2D4ly2LKLoFZVsgU8HmVOE1Lo9Q1_D-xrpfWWbLn06FQ_EjOa0OLweSvOVO_2d1gi87nGehtvQiGIbK9JJwcKC00p_UR_EuqYdwLiPS3w9z-KEr5VSO5mxUAlbUIvzc/s640/KCMO+911+Map+2020.png" width="494" /></a></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reduced officers on the street will lead to longer response times, an increased workload for those who remain, less personnel to devote to investigations and less time to engage in community policing efforts. And residents won’t just feel reduced staffing on the streets; they’ll feel it on the phone, too. Staffing shortages in our Communications Unit will lead to being put on hold when calling 911. This is an issue we have worked very hard to resolve since I became Chief by increasing Communications Unit staffing. No one should have to be put on hold during a life-or-death emergency. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We will do everything we can to provide the best service possible while working within budgetary constraints. Current fiscal realities mean prioritizing what residents need most and what can be reduced citywide. Those realities should be balanced with the increasing need for public safety in Kansas City. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-23860702861038112472020-06-16T15:07:00.000-05:002020-06-17T10:52:50.623-05:00KCPD Highlights Service Aspects of Policing <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There have been many calls lately to fundamentally shift the
way policing is done in America. Several of these demands are about responding
to situations of people in crisis without enforcement. I couldn’t agree more,
which is why we’ve pioneered programs like dedicated social workers and a
Crisis Intervention Team Squad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As far as I know, we were the first police department in
America to employ social workers. For two years now, a social service worker
has been assigned to each of our six patrol division stations. <span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Their job is to help in situations that
come to the attention of law enforcement but cannot be resolved by police.
They’ve helped a family whose home burned down. They’ve helped victims of
domestic violence start new lives. They’ve assisted with drug treatment. And
ultimately, they’ve gotten residents the resources they need to be successful
and reduced the need for law enforcement involvement. In 2019, KCPD social
workers assisted more than 1,820 people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The social workers also have
done a great deal with youth in Kansas City. They have helped resolve
neighborhood feuds that originated with youth and would have turned violent
without the social workers’ intervention. We deployed them to the Country Club
Plaza, which was having a problem with unsupervised teenagers gathering and
causing violence and property destruction. With surveys, education and a
diversion program, the social workers were able to mostly resolve an issue we
had spent nearly a decade unsuccessfully trying to enforce our way out of. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In recent weeks, when so many
people were out of work during the COVID-19 shut-down, our social workers
partnered with community resources to ensure some of the most vulnerable people
in our community had food. Their efforts led to 775 people a day being fed for
a month. They were unable to carry out their regular duties because of the
pandemic, but they saw the needs and created a whole new way to serve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Law enforcement also has
become the default responders to those in mental health and substance abuse
crisis. That’s why I thought it was imperative that all patrol officers who
weren’t already Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) certified undergo mental health
awareness training. This covers the CIT basics and responding to someone in
crisis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Several years ago, however,
we realized how important it was to have a squad of CIT officers dedicated to
serving and following up with members of our community with mental illness who
came to the attention of law enforcement. They work hand-in-hand with community
mental health liaisons (social workers from mental health treatment providers).
In the last year, this squad responded to help 212 people who wanted to die by
suicide. With their community mental health liaisons, they made 98 visits to
people who needed treatment. They also conducted 132 follow-up visits in
addition to that. They made 40 visits to homeless camps to help residents get
treatment and housing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They also conducted extensive
mental health awareness and de-escalation training for our KCPD officers and
other area law enforcement, as well as community and panel presentations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thanks to our CIT squad and social workers, thousands of
members of our community got the help they really needed instead of being
needlessly thrown into the criminal justice system or having a negative counter
with law enforcement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">KCPD has been at the forefront of these alternative
responses. I presented about our social worker program at the Major Cities
Chiefs Association meeting last fall, where the leaders of several other
departments showed interest in implementing something similar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We are continually evaluating our practices and responses to
determine what will best serve our community and keep Kansas City safe. The
social workers and CIT Squad are a result of that evaluation. That analysis is
not over. We will keep looking for places to improve and enhance our service to
Kansas City.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-222966298460637132020-05-20T15:13:00.000-05:002020-05-21T10:56:26.288-05:00Seven shootings in nine hours in Kansas City<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Shootings and homicides have been increasing steadily lately. As of Monday, May 18, Kansas City, Missouri, has had 204 living shooting victims in 2020 compared to 160 at the same time in 2019. To date, there have been 64 homicides compared to 52 a year ago. <br /><br />I get asked a lot why this is happening and what can be done to stop it. I wish we had all of those answers. In nine hours from about 8:45 last night to 5:45 this morning, police responded to seven separate shootings. No one has died at this point, but several have life-threatening injuries. I’ve detailed them below to give you a snapshot of what we’ve been dealing with. In most, police were either close enough to hear the shootings when they happened or were there in minutes. Police presence is not deterring those set on committing violent acts. <br /><br />You might see a few other commonalities in the cases below: <br /><br /><u>Uncooperative victims</u> – From May 11 to 17, eight out of ten shooting victims refused to cooperate with the investigation and/or refused to press charges. A review of data over a longer period of time shows that two-thirds of Kansas City’s living shooting victims are uncooperative in the investigation. A majority claim they don’t know who shot them or why. Investigation usually shows that’s not true. They either want to retaliate, were involved in illegal activity at the time of the shooting they don’t want to disclose, or fear retaliation. If shooting victims don’t help police stop shooters, the shooters remain in the community and remain readily capable of deadly violence. We know who they are. We know what they’ve done, but we have no way to stop them within the criminal justice system. <br /><br /><u>Juveniles</u> – Many of the victims and suspects from last night’s shootings were teenagers. <br /><br /> <br /><b><u>LAST NIGHT’S SHOOTINGS </u></b><br /><br /><b>8:42 p.m., 31st and Van Brunt </b><br />Officers were in the area of 31st and Van Brunt and heard the sound of multiple gunshots. An area canvas was conducted, and officers found someone shot in the parking lot of 3011 Van Brunt. Witnesses said there were multiple people exchanging gunfire from the parking lot and a vehicle. An ambulance transported the victim at the scene to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. Shortly after the incident, another shooting victim arrived at a different hospital with a gunshot wound. She was listed in stable condition. The suspects range in age from 14-17. <br /><br /><b>11:40 p.m., Linwood and Kensington </b><br />Officers responded to an area hospital after a shooting victim arrived in the emergency room. The victim told officers someone fired shots at him in the area of Linwood and Kensington and then fled the scene in a white sedan. The victim was struck in the shoulder and drove himself to the hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. <br /><br /><b>12:05 a.m., 500 block of E. 105th St.</b> <br />Officers were dispatched to a disturbance involving gunfire. They found a 15-year-old victim who said two groups of juveniles had been involved in an altercation in the parking lot. One of the juveniles pulled out a gun and fired a shot in the victim’s direction. She was not hit. The suspect then got into a white Jeep and fled the scene, striking another car and a fence as he left. Fortunately, no one was hurt in this incident. <br /><br /><b>12:42 a.m., 3600 block of Bales Ave. </b><br />Officers went to a drive-by shooting where, miraculously, no one was injured. Police recovered more than <i>160</i> shell casings from the scene. Children as young as 2 were in the home. Victims said they didn’t see any suspects. The shell casings were from multiple weapons: <br /><br />21 spent shell casings of 9 mm ammunition <br />20 spent shell casings .40 caliber ammunition <br />19 spent shell casings .300 black out ammunition <br />79 spent shell casings .223 ammunition <br />21 spent shell casings .45 + 1 live round ammunition <br /><br /><b>12:55 a.m., dispatched to hospital </b><br />Officers went to an area hospital after a shooting victim arrived in the emergency room. He had a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was rushed into surgery with life threatening injuries. Officers spoke with the person who drove the victim to the hospital. The driver was uncooperative and would not answer any questions. Police are still trying to figure out where the original shooting occurred. <br /><br /><b>1:44 a.m., officers contacted at hospital </b><br />While still at the hospital investigating the above shooting, another shooting victim showed up to the ER with a gunshot wound to the neck. The 18-year-old victim drove himself to the hospital and is listed in stable condition. He was uncooperative and refused to answer questions about how he got shot. Other officers saw the man driving to the hospital and believe his injuries could be connected to several reports of shots fired at a house in south Kansas City, but everyone at the home refused to talk to officers. <br /><br /><b>5:46 a.m., 1800 Brownell </b><br />Officers responded to a call of a man in his 40’s who had been shot while driving a moped. He told officers a few possible locations where he was shot, and officers have preliminarily located a crime scene at the plasma center at 6000 Independence Ave. An ambulance took the victim to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. <br /><br /><br />What could anyone have done to prevent these shootings, including police? <br /><br />Unfortunately, nights like last night have not been unusual lately. Our officers, detectives and crime scene investigators capably responded to and investigated these incidents while handling everything else in the city. But we could not predict them. <br /><br />We are frustrated and trying a <a href="http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2020/01/were-making-changes-to-address.html">number of tactics</a> to reduce the violence. We are, however, just one piece of the criminal justice system. Many parts of that system have been affected by the pandemic. We’re out on the streets when these shootings happen. We’re gathering evidence, investigating and submitting cases for prosecution. But we are only one entity. <br /><br />Courts, prosecutors, jails, probation and parole – they’re all part of the criminal justice equation. None of those are operating at normal capacity right now, but areas of the system struggled long before COVID-19. To show how other parts of the criminal justice system have an impact, consider this example: two suspects who have been charged with <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/media/news-releases/partnership-leads-to-arrest-of-suspects-who-shot-5-year-old/">shooting a 5-year-old</a> during a rolling gun battle down Truman Road last month just had their bond reduced from $100,000 cash only to 10%. One thing we do know is that people involved in crime continue to be involved in crime. <br /><br />I will be sharing some of the new violent crime prevention initiatives we’re undertaking next week. As you can see, however, we need the assistance of victims, witnesses, and the whole community to make progress against violent crime. We live here, too, and so do our families. We want a safer Kansas City. We want a quiet night for all of our neighborhoods. We can’t do that alone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org" target="_blank">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org </a> </span></div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-30882226631676525972020-05-13T11:37:00.000-05:002020-05-13T11:37:42.641-05:00As support pours in for police, officers are uplifted<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We often see the best of humanity in the worst of times. The support of people throughout the Kansas City Metro area when an officer was killed in the line of duty at one of our neighboring agencies last week has been so touching and humbling. Hundreds of police cars, including many from KCPD, went to honor Overland Park, Kansas, Officer Mike Mosher on May 10, with a lengthy Salute to Blue procession in Overland Park. Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, was lit up blue that night, too. <br /><br />Both were sights to behold. People lined the route of the Salute to Blue procession Sunday saluting, waving flags and even kneeling. The support for law enforcement was overwhelming. </span><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Top right and bottom left photos courtesy Overland Park Police Department.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />This week, May 10-16, is National Police Week. It began in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week to honor officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Officer Mosher paid the ultimate sacrifice, and I am so humbled by the respect the community has shown for him and law enforcement.<br /><br />No one becomes a police officer planning to die in service to their community, but we do all know it is a possibility. The show of support for law enforcement lately demonstrates the high esteem in which the vast majority of Kansas City metro residents hold police for being willing to make that sacrifice. We don’t often see news stories about that support. <br /><br />We at KCPD began feeling a tangible increase in community support at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have since received donations from hundreds of organizations, individuals and businesses ranging from food to masks to thermometers. The community realized that pandemic or no pandemic, KCPD would be on the front lines every day and night to serve and protect, even with the risk to officers’ own health and safety. They have repeatedly thanked us for that dedication, and we are humbled by their support. Many didn’t even want their name mentioned. They just felt in their hearts that supporting police was the right thing to do. To know that our work is appreciated means the world to officers in a time when the world has been turned upside down, and we lost one of our brothers across the State Line who was doing the same job we do. <br /><br />Some people don’t like and/or distrust police. Yes, police have made mistakes and we are constantly evaluating our programs and training to better connect with our community. Police remain one of the most <a href="http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2019/10/study-finds-police-are-one-of-most.html" target="_blank">trusted professions</a> in America, however. In Kansas City, at least, we are doing as much as we possibly can to earn your trust and support. <br /><br />For those who have already shown your support, thank you. Words aren’t enough to express the difference that makes in a job that often feels thankless. I know for a fact members of the KCPD have been surprised but very appreciative of the outpouring of support. <br /><br />May 21 would have been our police memorial service at KCPD Headquarters. For everyone’s health and safety, we are moving that service online this year. We will share a special video tribute that day to the 119 KCPD officers who have given the ultimate sacrifice throughout our agency’s 146-year history. Keep an eye out for it here, on our social media and on our <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/" target="_blank">web site</a>, and help us honor those who have gone before us in service to their city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-42656914330335113962020-05-08T16:53:00.001-05:002020-05-08T16:53:53.568-05:00Technology helps police "bust" felony suspects <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’re six months into an initiative that is bringing residents and police together to solve crimes, and it’s working just like we’d hoped. <br /><br />We launched the <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/crime/busted/" target="_blank">Busted</a> page on our web site in November 2019. This web page features suspects who have been caught on camera committing felony crimes, everything from burglaries to shootings. Previously, these pictures and video had only been circulated internally at KCPD or with other area law enforcement. Detectives are now sharing them with the public to get as many as eyes as possible to identify suspects and close cases. With the proliferation of security cameras, many more cases now feature video and photos as pieces of evidence. <br /><br />All cases are felony-level, and therefore eligible for rewards through the TIPS Hotline. Each Busted case features a link to the online, anonymous TIPS submission form. Tips leading to an arrest will be eligible for anonymous cash rewards. Each case is featured on the <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/crime/busted/" target="_blank">Busted</a> page for 30 days. <br /><br />We’ve had some really good success with Busted. It’s hard to put a number on crimes it’s solved, because often identifying a suspect is just the beginning of an investigation. Anecdotally, about 20 to 25% of the cases featured on Busted result in a suspect getting identified. I’ll share a few success stories with you: <br /><br />Within days of us launching Busted, a tip helped detectives pin down an identify thief who had used someone else’s identity to fraudulently purchase vehicles. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Charges were recently filed in a case in which two men assaulted and stole money from a victim who had just withdrawn it from an ATM at a convenience store. A tipster who saw it on Busted helped identify a suspect who was wearing a not-so-subtle pink “Golden Girls” shirt.</span></div>
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<br /><br />Busted also has helped us identify felony-level shoplifters ...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> burglars ...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and even shooters in aggravated assaults ... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cases are added regularly, so I encourage you to check back on the page often. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.kcpd.org/crime/busted/" target="_blank">Busted</a> is one of several initiatives we’ve embarked on to more directly involved Kansas Citians in solving crime. Another is our <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/get-involved/watchkc/" target="_blank">WatchKC</a> program, in which residents can let us know they have security cameras so we can contact them in an event there is a crime in their neighborhood with which video evidence could help. <br /><br />As technology expands, we look forward to offering more of these crime-fighting partnership opportunities with you in the future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span><br /> </div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-65857463790362413082020-04-27T15:34:00.001-05:002020-04-27T15:35:07.253-05:00Study shows crime prevention tool decreased violent crime 24% in project areas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We implemented an innovative crime-fighting strategy one year ago, and it has reduced violent crime in our project areas by 24 percent, according to a new analysis by Rutgers University. <br /><br />We worked with criminal justice scholars from Rutgers to implement an evidence-based strategy that helps determine where crime or other problems are most likely to occur: Risk-Based Policing (RBP). RBP is a crime prevention and reduction tool that builds on the analytical technique <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/media/2276/informant_june2019.pdf" target="_blank">Risk Terrain Modeling</a> to look not at where crime has already occurred but features of the physical environment that will cause crime. A key aspect of RBP is it focuses on places, not people. It also does not take into account historical crime or arrest data, making it different from previous hot spot policing efforts. RBP overlays a number of geographic data to show police (and their partners!) where a crime problem is most likely to emerge, allowing preventive measures to be taken in that area. Known as “risk factors,” examples include liquor and convenience stores, vacant properties, properties with code violations, parks, bus stops, and many more. They may be completely innocuous on their own, but the risk of crime can increase dramatically if many are in the same general vicinity. <br /><br />RBP gave us an idea of areas in the city at highest risk for violent crime. Seeing these areas of concentrated risk areas allow police, city government, and other partners to martial resources to address issues. For example, police can perform liquor license checks at businesses selling alcohol in high-risk areas and request follow-up from Regulated Industries. Police can also share advice and recommendations to property owners about how to reduce risk of crime through means such as better lighting or security cameras. In addition, KCPD members share RBP data with municipal departments to help enforce code violations or fix broken streetlights. This helps everyone share the burden of true public safety when compared to traditional enforcement-focused measures. In turn, RBP ultimately results in a more holistic service to the public. <br /><br />Using objective RBP data as a guide, KCPD devoted resources to some of the highest-risk areas in the city. The recent analysis from Rutgers compares the year before we implemented RBP – March 15, 2018 to March 14, 2019 – to the year since – March 15, 2019 to March 14, 2020. It also looked at control areas with similar levels of environmental risk that did not receive the specific tasks based on the RBP concept. Note, this does not mean the KCPD did not provide police service or other necessary responses in these areas. <br /><br />The RBP strategy focused on violent street crime (homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies) in our four patrol divisions south of the Missouri River – Central, East, Metro, and South – because they have the highest incidence of these violent crimes. <br /><br />Researchers found violent street crime decreased 24% overall when looking at all focus areas. In more practical terms, this means Kansas City had 165 fewer violent crime victims in the areas where RBP was used in just one year. The control areas saw only a combined 1% reduction in violent crime. These findings are also statistically significant, meaning we can have confidence the reductions are due to our efforts as opposed to random chance. <br /><br />Here are the results for violent street crime in each of the four divisions: <br /><br />· Central: 43% decrease <br />· East: 25% decrease <br />· Metro: 9% decrease <br />· South: 21% decrease (although to be fair, unlike Central, East, and Metro, researchers found much of the violent crime here was displaced nearby) <br /><br />One of the best features of RBP is how customizable it is to different areas of the city. For example, laundromats were a prominent risk factor in Metro Patrol but not Central Patrol. RBP therefore provides insight to each patrol division about the most significant environmental risk factors in their communities so they can address them accordingly. This can include options such as asking the City’s Neighborhood Preservation division to assist with problem properties or even social service outreach. <br /><br />Legal scholars such as Andrew Ferguson, an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia, have also shown support for this approach because it helps strip away potential person-based bias given the focus on environmental risk. RBP is a civilly just way to deploy public resources, including those from the police. <br /><br />In addition, the KCPD was able to achieve these impressive results with virtually no added cost. There was no overtime required, no grant funding needed, nor specialized squads to create. Instead, we were able to see meaningful crime reduction using our current resources in more strategic, focused ways. <br /><br />This also has led to us building a fantastic new partnership with Rutgers University. We so appreciate their attention and expertise in helping us make our city safer. <br /><br />We obviously still have a lot of work to do and are already planning ways to evolve the strategy and build on these early successes. We are beginning internal discussions about expanding on the areas where we are currently deploying RBP, as well as seeking opportunities to bring more resources from external partners to the table. <br /><br />In the meantime, we now have quantifiable evidence Risk-Based Policing is a viable tool in reducing violent crime here in Kansas City. We are always looking at innovative ways to reduce crime and improve quality of life here at the KCPD, and RBP is proving to be a step in the right direction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-30541313869199399132020-04-13T12:15:00.000-05:002020-04-24T14:48:11.714-05:00Police remain busy in Kansas City despite stay-at-home order<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We’ve received a lot of inquiries about how all the changes in our society to stop the spread of the coronavirus are impacting crime in Kansas City. Other cities have seen <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2020/04/04/coronavirus-crime-rates-drop-and-domestic-violence-spikes/2939120001/" target="_blank">crime fall</a> across the board, but in Kansas City, it has been mixed. <br /><br />First, I’d like to thank everyone in Kansas City who have been adhering to the stay-at-home order. We’re finding that the vast majority of people are abiding by it, which should help us flatten the curve and defeat this pandemic more quickly. It’s also helping keep us – your first responders – healthy and able to serve. <br /><br />We need officers out on the street because violent crime here has not changed much with social distancing measures or the stay-at-home order. In the two weeks before the stay-at-home order, March 10-13, we had six homicides. We’ve had seven homicides in the two weeks since, March 24-April 6. Aggravated assaults increased from 61 in the two weeks before the order to 68 in the two weeks after the order. <br /><br />As many expected, domestic violence assaults have increased a bit. If you are in an unsafe situation at home, please call 816-HOTLINE, which will connect you to domestic violence advocates in the Kansas City area. Domestic violence shelters and prevention agencies are still operating and providing services. <br /><br />Below is a chart showing some major categories of violent crime in Kansas City so far this year and how the numbers have changed as COVID-19 spread and residents started staying home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By contrast, many of our property crimes have fallen off. We attribute this to more people at home keeping an eye on their belongings all day. We’ve seen the largest decreases in crime in the categories of thefts from vehicles, stolen cars and shoplifting (mainly because most retailers are closed). Here is the chart showing our property crime trends for the first three months of 2020:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Overall, our calls for service have seen little change.
Below are March numbers from last year compared to this year: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">March
2019<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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2020<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Difference<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />The main goal of police is to keep you safe, which is why were are focusing our traffic enforcement efforts on reducing the excessive speed that has arisen with fewer cars on the road. Traffic officers are saying speeds are much higher than normal. They issued some of the following tickets last week: <br /><br />* 123 mph in a 65 at 435/Wornall <br /> * 79 in a 35 on Independence Ave. <br /> * 76 in a 45 on Chouteau Bridge <br /> * 133 in a 55 on I-29/Waukomis <br /> * 86 in a 55 on 71 Hwy/31st St. <br /><br />Again, this is why you'll still see us enforcing speed limits. From March 16-30, our injury crashes were up by 43% compared to the same time period last year. Officers are doing everything possible to reduce contact on these stops and are sanitizing before and after each one, as well as wearing masks. <br /><br />I have no doubt this pandemic will continue to reshape our city in the short and long term, but looking at the numbers, the workload of police in Kansas City has remained pretty consistent. No matter what happens, KCPD will continue to respond to community needs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>.</span> </div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-6385533985313828722020-03-16T15:58:00.000-05:002020-03-16T15:58:46.333-05:00Working together to stop the spread of coronavirus and keep first responders healthy<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everybody is feeling the effects of the social distancing efforts needed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. For the next two to four weeks (or however long health officials recommend), we all have to make personal sacrifices for the good of the whole. Maybe you’re not at great risk for serious effects of the virus, but I bet you have a loved one who is. What would you do to protect that loved one? Now is the time to think about what you can do for others, not just how it may affect you. We all need to act in that manner to protect everybody else’s loved ones. <br /><br />We all have to work together to stop the spread so our healthcare system has room to treat the sickest patients. This teamwork is not unlike what we all must do to stop violent crime in our community. With a little bit of prevention, we could all really change the course of a pandemic. Kansas City has a strong history of coming together to handle all types of situations: from deployment and food rationing during World Wars, to acts of mother nature that have torn our city apart, we come together to accomplish what is necessary. Our calling now is to stop the spread of this virus while taking care of those who get ill. As of today, health officials are urging us to refrain from gatherings with 10 or more people. <br /><br />Of course, we have to look out for the well-being of our own employees, as well. Police and other first responders must remain as healthy as possible and available to serve our community. In the future, we may need to make adjustments in our deployment or methods of gathering report information, but rest assured that any priority in this city will be handled. <br /><br />This situation has been taxing on all of us. The police department has had to make decisions that frankly have not been considered during my 32 years of service. This police department has worked tirelessly to build relationships in this city and to suspend activities that go to our core mission in building these relationships come with much thought, and frankly it is extremely difficult to suspend activities that we cherish. So far, we have: <br /><br />- Suspended all community events and meetings in police facilities, from free tax preparation to neighborhood meetings to the Citizens Police Academy. <br />- Canceled ride-alongs. <br />- Encouraged officers to practice good hygiene, not shake hands and meet in open areas and/or on porches if possible. <br /><br />If you have possible COVID-19 symptoms and need to call for help, please advise 911 call-takers of your illness so first responders can be prepared when coming into contact with you. <br /><br />Please look for updates here, on our web site and our social media, which is where we will notify you of any practices we are changing to keep our workforce healthy and ready to help Kansas City get through whatever happens in these unprecedented times. When we all work together, we are safer and stronger. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Send comments to: <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-52644688800155911642020-02-25T09:42:00.000-06:002020-02-25T10:00:07.068-06:00To curb violence, more officers are needed <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you’re the leader of a police department in a city that’s
ranked the </span><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/travel/experience/america/2018/10/17/25-most-dangerous-cities-america/1669467002/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">fifth-most
violent</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> in the nation, where would your budget discussion start?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It’s budget time again in Kansas City, and as our budget
comprises nearly 38% of the City’s general fund, there has understandably been
a lot of discussion about it, and there should be. Board of Police
Commissioners President Nathan Garrett stated at last week’s Board meeting that
KCPD needs more officers than the ten additional officer positions currently in
the City’s proposed <a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/237/16" target="_blank">budget</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Kansas City Star published an <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article240522486.html" target="_blank">editorial </a>Monday stating
KCPD does not need 65 more police officers, which is a number Commissioner
Garrett cited at the meeting. That would bring us up to 1,400 total officer
positions. After Kansas City’s 1968 riots following the assassination of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., then-Mayor Ilus Davis convened a Commission on Civil
Disorder. The report recommended in August 1968 that KCPD should have 1,500
officers. That was more than 50 years ago, and we have never met that goal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This department has made many efforts to enhance relationships
with the community, but with our current staffing, officers are primarily
limited to responding to 911 calls. This limits proactive and community
policing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Star editorial points out that Kansas City has more
officers per 10,000 people than cities like San Francisco, Tampa or Dallas.
Those cities also have remarkably less violent crime. In 2019, Kansas City’s
homicide rate per 100,000 was 30.1. That means for every 100,000 residents of
our city, 30.1 were murdered. That rate was 4.6 for San Francisco, 6.9 for
Tampa and 15.5 for Dallas. Only one of those cities barely reaches half our
homicide rate. So to have a budget discussion of the number of officers we need
solely based on what works per capita in other cities is an insult to the victims
of violent crime in our community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Star editorial’s concern over our request for additional
officers is it would negatively impact the City’s overall budget. The Police
Department isn’t looking to take money from all other City services. We are a
partner whose job is to secure the safety of the City. If the City is unsafe,
people won’t want to live, work or visit here, and that would hurt everyone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Commissioner Garrett pointed out that it’s our job and
responsibility to put forth a budget request for what we think appropriately
meets the needs of this city. In fact, Commissioner Garrett pointed out several
things in response to the Editorial Board’s questions days prior to its
publication, which I’ve included here: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Editorial Board Question:</b> As you know, the proposed budget calls
for spending 38% of the general fund on police, almost twice the level required
by state law. Do you believe there should be any limit on how much money
taxpayers should spend on the department? Are there any ways the department
might find savings in its own spending to provide funding for additional
officers?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nathan Garrett’s Answer:</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
really don’t think of it in terms of measuring our proposal against the overall
budget (percentage wise) when we make our ask; though I recognize, of course,
that there’s a natural, process-oriented limit to how much of the City’s
revenue our services can consume. Our responsibility is to identify critical
needs we believe translate into more effective and responsible police services
for our community. How that translates vis-à-vis the overall City budget is
what it is; though, again, we have the overall budget in mind when we engage in
the process and fully recognize the balance of the City’s obligations. We’re a
team player, but our job is to fight for the law enforcement needs of this
City; it’s the job of others to balance those needs against other services and
responsibilities. As for finding internal savings, we’re constantly engaged in
that process and recognize our role in responsibly managing the resources we’re
given. To this end, we also aggressively pursue grant funding and other
community-oriented sources of revenue in an effort to augment the ask we make
on the City. Chief among these contributors is the Police Foundation, which has
been a stalwart in providing supplemental funding to our Department. These
outside sources of revenue reduce the ask on the City and are something we feel
a responsibility to pursue—and are eternally grateful for the response
received. Lastly, we’ve made some very difficult, less-than-popular decisions
within the Department to address enforcement priorities. Dismantling Mounted
Patrol might have been the most vocally controversial thing we’ve done, but we
felt it was the right thing to do in light of the alarming rise in gun
violence. Those positions, as you know, were allocated to our homicide
division. Likewise, we made other internal personnel maneuvers—following our
audit review process—that allowed us to increase our assault squads (non-fatal
shootings) by 12 detectives. While we’re always taking from something to give
to something in these situations, that’s the recurring responsibility we
have—make certain our resources are used in the most effective and efficient
manner to address the most critical needs of our City. </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Editorial Board Question:</b> Should the police board be more active in
making those spending choices, since it controls the department, not the City
Council? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nathan Garrett’s Answer:</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> The Board is always involved in this
process, and our conversations with the Chief and his staff are near daily. The
monthly Board meetings constitute a fraction of the time dedicated to the
operations of this Department—fiscally and otherwise. And while it is not the
Board’s job to micro-manage the daily spending of our resources, those
expenditures are naturally related to our operational priorities and
initiatives—something we are heavily engaged in. So, yes, we should be involved
in our spending choices at a macro level and continue to ensure we have the
right staff with the right directions in place to carry out the more daily,
micro-oriented decisions. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Editorial Board Question:</b> If there is additional information you
wish to provide, please do so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nathan Garrett’s Answer:</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> We are admittedly a large bureaucracy, and
as such, our efficiencies are not at a level of satisfaction for any of
us—especially those of us in the private sector. We can and should continue to
aggressively police ourselves and do our level best—even in the face of labor,
legal and bureaucratic challenges—to make the best, most efficient use of our
resources focused directly and most intently on the safety of our community. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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This police department takes financial responsibility very seriously. We’re not
looking to take over the city. We’re trying to find ways to address the violent
crime issue in a way that is both reasonable and effective. Adding police
officers is one of the only proven ways to do so that is within our control.
This is <a href="http://freakonomics.com/2006/03/16/lets-do-the-crime-drop-again/">discussed</a>
in the book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Freakonomics</i> by Stephen
Dubner and Steven Levitt. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We firmly believe more officers can help. The number of
officers needed obviously is up for discussion, but to base that solely on per
capita numbers and dollars is short-sighted and wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Send comments to<a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org" target="_blank"> kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></div>
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<br />Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-77599717092178437132020-02-14T12:42:00.000-06:002020-02-14T12:42:13.870-06:00Lessons from a big celebration: beware of thieves <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitvLCtEs9539VJbGXXAIKbA3dReEpGYrKcYYvIw5DTGgFze1QiYUQjILi-dGLszJxN-6SIYWM4lwWB1Gzw4d2j1qgIdE7w2I8c7SCO8KD21nVkFQL8li7E-TzCgJ-M-Kr3YB9hGYuVUc/s1600/_MPD7778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitvLCtEs9539VJbGXXAIKbA3dReEpGYrKcYYvIw5DTGgFze1QiYUQjILi-dGLszJxN-6SIYWM4lwWB1Gzw4d2j1qgIdE7w2I8c7SCO8KD21nVkFQL8li7E-TzCgJ-M-Kr3YB9hGYuVUc/s400/_MPD7778.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The day of the Chiefs victory parade was an amazing day, and we learned a lot from everything that happened that day. We’d like to pass along some of those lessons learned to you. The parade and rally showed us the need for folks attending large events to always be vigilant. Did you know 16 people reported that they got pick-pocketed during the event? Most of them were around the rally at Union Station. <br /><br />One wallet, five cell phone-wallet combos and 10 other cell phones were stolen. Most of these items were taken from parade-goers’ back pant pockets or coat pockets. Many of the victims reported that they felt someone touch them, but it was crowded, and they didn’t see anyone stealing anything. The stolen phones are long gone. We’ve pinged some of them in Maryland, Arkansas and Oklahoma. <br /><br />There also were 12 cars broken into during the time of the celebration – with eight of them in the area of 19th to 22nd Streets, Paseo to Holmes. That’s where several rally-goers parked. <br /><br />Criminals are opportunists. They see a large gathering of distracted people as the perfect chance to make off with some valuable property. And while Kansas City might not host such a large-scale event until next year (fingers crossed!), we have still have several sizeable gatherings coming up soon such as the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. <br /><br />Kansas City loves to host events like this, but we need everyone attending to do their part to make them safe and successful. Make yourself and your property unappealing to thieves. Keep your phone and wallet on your person where you can see them. Don’t leave anything of value in your vehicle. Don’t leave your vehicle running unattended. Doing those things could prevent crimes not just at big events but would eliminate thousands of crimes in our city year-round. <br /><br />The weather will soon be getting warmer, which means more and more people will be heading out to the fun gatherings and events that make Kansas City such a great place to live. You won’t be able to enjoy those outings, however, if you come home to stolen property, so take a minute before you go to ensure all your things are secure. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Send comments to: <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-80290150604261769112020-02-03T12:13:00.000-06:002020-02-03T12:13:34.412-06:00We've got all hands on deck for the Chiefs victory parade!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like everyone else in Kansas City, we are elated about the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory! We have been preparing for this possibility for quite a while and are ready to host what is likely to be the biggest celebration this city has seen since the Royals World Series win in 2015. <br /><br />The victory parade is an all-hands-on-deck event for KCPD. Additionally, law enforcement agencies from around the metro area have dedicated some of their limited manpower (and womanpower!) to assist us that day. All of us at KCPD are very grateful for their assistance, and it shows what a truly cohesive metro area we have and how well we work together. This is a regional event, and it will be handled with regional resources. There will be hundreds upon hundreds of officers along the parade route and at the celebration at Union Station afterward to ensure everyone has a great time while staying safe. This will not detract from officers working the rest of the city. We are not taking away from our regular patrol division staffing allocation. Instead, we are bringing in everyone from investigative units to Academy recruits to help on the streets that day, as well as the aforementioned outside agencies. <br /><br />Just as police will have to be flexible that day, so will those who will take part in the festivities. We are expecting hundreds of thousands of people to descend on a very limited area in downtown Kansas City. If you plan to attend, expect very heavy congestion, big traffic delays and huge crowds. Pack your patience. There is only so much police can do to move that many cars and people along. In a large crowd, items and people (especially children) are bound to get lost or separated. We will do everything we can to reunite people and return property to its rightful owners, but please help us by keeping a close eye on your children and keep your property secured. <br /><br />Additionally, it’s February in Kansas City, so the forecast for the parade calls for cold temperatures. Please dress accordingly. As always, public alcohol consumption also is prohibited. <br /><br />We can’t wait to celebrate this historic day with you, Kansas City. Thank you for your assistance, and thank you to the Kansas City Chiefs for making this momentous day possible in our community!</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a></span></div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-35217694027378043972020-01-31T16:52:00.000-06:002020-01-31T17:04:35.880-06:00We're ready to help you safely enjoy watching the Chiefs in the Super Bowl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />We’re experiencing an incredible moment here in Kansas City, and your police department has been working hard to ensure everyone can have a great time watching the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. <br /><br />KCPD will be fully staffed citywide on Sunday evening, and we’re bringing in an additional 100 officers from units such as Tactical Enforcement and Traffic Enforcement. These additional officers will keep an eye on the city’s entertainment districts, but their assignment is to remain fluid and assist wherever needed. <br /><br />Speaking of entertainment districts, all of them have shared their security plans with us, which include off-duty KCPD officers who will be assisting with security in those areas. Additional dispatch staff have been assigned specifically to handle calls related to game celebrations. <br /><br />We’ve made extensive preparations to facilitate people having fun on this historic day for our city. Officers are ready for celebratory honking, yelling, high fives and more. We all have seen things go wrong in other cities that were supposed to be celebrating a championship, and no one wants that here, especially not celebratory gunfire. If you see something that looks like it’s starting to get out of control, please call us so it doesn’t grow into something really bad. <br /><br />If the Chiefs win, more information about forthcoming celebrations will be posted early next week. In the meantime, we’re looking forward to helping everyone enjoy the game in the home of the Chiefs: Kansas City, Missouri. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Send comments to: <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a></span></div>
Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-89267486722292664602020-01-17T14:39:00.000-06:002020-01-17T14:39:35.259-06:00We're making changes to address homicides and non-fatal shootings<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While so much of our other crime is trending downward,
shootings and homicides remain a persistent issue in our city. Although police are
by no means solely responsible for the increase or decrease in these crimes, we
are obligated to do everything in our power to address them and bring offenders
to justice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also know we can’t work in a vacuum. It takes
partnerships across the city and an evaluation of best practices nationwide to
make the systemic changes needed to impact our stubborn violent crime rate. In
2019, Kansas City had 148 homicides and 491 non-fatal shootings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A focus on prolific
violent offenders<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the places where you can see that change is happening
is with the Kansas City No Violence Alliance, or KC NoVA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>KC NoVA has been and continues to be about
focused deterrence, but after extensive evaluation, KC NoVA switched its
enforcement strategy last year from targeting group-related violence to
targeting individuals who are frequently involved in violent, gun-related
crimes. This approach has seen great success in cities like Tampa, which has
had a dramatic reduction in violent crime. Although the number of these violent
offenders is low, they are responsible for the vast amount of our violent
crime. Research from Tampa identified that 6% of their violent offenders were
responsible for 60% of violent crime. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a reminder, KC NoVA is a partnership between KCPD, the
U.S. Attorney’s Office, The Jackson County Prosecutor, FBI, ATF, the Mayor’s
Office and Missouri Probation and Parole. All of those partners remain at the
table with us, and they are integral in reducing the gun-related crimes that
plague Kansas City. We work together now more than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But homicides and non-fatal shootings continue to be an
issue in Kansas City, so we needed to adapt. The U.S. Department of Justice’s
Public Safety Partnership spent 18 months with us evaluating NoVA and advising
us on how we could move forward. The result is this new enforcement strategy
that targets the trigger-pullers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reviewing non-fatal
shootings<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Public Safety Partnership also introduced us to a best
practice from police in our peer city of Milwaukee. As of January 8, we are now
conducting weekly shooting review meetings. These cover all homicides and
non-fatal shootings that took place in the past week and follow up on case
progress from previous weeks. Again, this is driven by partnerships with state
and federal prosecutors and Missouri Probation and Parole. All of the partners
attend the meetings with our investigative and patrol elements to ensure each
case is investigated to the best of its ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This new meeting of criminal justice partners emphasizes
accountability: each of the partners – including KCPD – is holding each other
responsible for effectively carrying out their role in the criminal justice
process. This is a great improvement in communication and accountability
through the whole system. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adding investigative
resources<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the dawn of the New Year, we have doubled the number of
detectives assigned to work non-fatal shooting cases. All too often, many of
the victims and suspects in these incidents later become victims or suspects in
homicides. With 491 non-fatal shootings last year (a 9% increase from 2018), we
have doubled the number of detectives in our Assault Squads from 12 to 24. They
are charged with investigating cases in which someone is assaulted with a
weapon but survives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also have added eight homicide detectives, bringing the
total number to 32.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These shifts have led to us moving resources from other
places, like Mounted Patrol. That decision wasn’t popular, but it is needed to
focus resources on stopping the perpetrators of gun violence in our city. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ultimately, police can’t be there every time someone decides
to resolve an argument with a gun. If you know someone who is planning
violence, please let us know. We are making changes, however, to identify those
most involved with gun violence, work their case to the fullest extent and
ensure accountability with the help of our partners in the criminal justice
system and the community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Send comments to <a href="mailto:kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org">kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org</a>. </span></div>
<br />Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9092970796158001779.post-86766556032059603032020-01-01T09:00:00.000-06:002020-01-01T09:00:02.089-06:00A look back at the good things in 2019<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As police officers, we’re in the business of being there when bad things happen. Therefore, we often become the topic of bad things in discussions. It’s hard for people who are always responding to horrific acts – like our city’s despicable homicide rate – to come up in the same conversation as really great things that happen in our community. As we reflect on 2019, however, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the good things in which our department has gotten to be involved. <br /><br /><b>Social workers </b><br />Our social workers continue to make a tremendous impact on the lives of people throughout Kansas City. This was the first full year we’ve had one at all six patrol divisions. Their job is to help in situations that come to the attention of law enforcement but cannot be resolved by police. They’ve helped a family whose home burned down. They’ve helped victims of domestic violence start new lives. And ultimately, they’ve gotten residents the resources they need to be successful and reduced the need for law enforcement involvement. As of Dec. 3, KCPD social workers have assisted 1,815 people and attended 488 community outreach events in 2019. <br /><br /><b>Community Interaction Officers </b><br />Our 12 Community Interaction Officers (CIOs) – two at each patrol division station – have worked tirelessly to build relationships with residents and make neighborhoods safer. They’ve provided block-watch training for countless neighborhoods to empower residents in keeping their communities safe. The CIOs work with business owners to implement security measures and address concerns. They’ve worked hand-in-hand with social workers to address issues of repeated calls for service to particular addresses and in finding help for families in need. <br /><br />They have organized countless free community events from family movie nights to job fairs for ex-offenders to health and safety fairs to Christmas parties for deserving youth. Our Kansas City United Against Crime events coordinated by CIOs in the first weekend of October brought communities together to play, learn and get to know one another. Our Halloween events – undertaken with business, church and non-profit partners – gave thousands of children a safe place to go on Halloween. All of these things also built lasting relationships between children, their families and KCPD. <br /><br /><b>Youth programs </b><br />One of the biggest ways we can impact the future safety of our city is through building trust and understanding with youth. I’ve previously written about <a href="http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2019/06/proactive-work-with-at-risk-teens.html">Teens in Transition</a>, the <a href="https://www.kcpal.org/">Police Athletic League</a> and many other things we do to facilitate those relationships. We expanded the Police Athletic League last year to include PAL Nights - a structured and fun environment for urban-core youth on weekend nights in the spring and summer. This offers a safe place for kids to socialize and enjoy themselves while getting to know officers in a relaxed setting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I wanted to highlight a few of our other youth initiatives here:<br /><br /><u>Youth Police Initiative</u> – Our Youth Police Initiative began in 2018, and an academic review of the program in 2019 shows what an impact it’s making. The program’s goal is to bring at-risk youth together with police officers to share personal stories, meals and to let their guards down long enough to have difficult and honest discussions that will create relationships and understanding for both the youth and officers. The John Jay College of Criminal Justice surveyed the 45 participants in our Youth Police Initiative at the beginning and the end of their week in the program. Over the course of that week, the teens who said, “I know at least one police officer who I can trust” went up by 181%. You can read more about it in our <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/media/2099/informant_february-2019.pdf">February 2019</a> Informant newsletter. <br /><br /><u>Youth Police Academy</u> – This week-long version of the Citizens Police Academy for middle schoolers had more than 150 participants from throughout the City. They did everything from dust for fingerprints to learn conflict resolution. <br /><br /><u>Catching Fury</u> – This camp was designed by women on our department and at neighboring police and fire departments to encourage young women ages 13 to 17 to pursue careers in public safety in partnership with the Girl Scouts of America. More is on p. 3 of our <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/media/2276/informant_june2019.pdf">June Informant newsletter</a>. <br /><br /><u>Explorers</u> – We’ve recently restarted our Police Explorer Program in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America. This program is for youth ages 14-20 to introduce them to all aspects of our department so that they might consider careers here. Explorers also volunteer with KCPD and will be issued uniforms and radios. <br /><br /><u>School Resource Officers</u> – We have School Resource Officers (SROs) serving at several high schools in the Kansas City Public School District. They are there in an official capacity to help with security and enforce any laws as needed, but what they really do is serve as mentors. For many of the kids in those schools, the SROs are one of the few people in their lives who offer stability. Many students confide in the SROs, and the SROs have been known to take teens having a hard time under their wings. I would love to be able to expand our SRO program. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>DARE</u> - We have DARE officers in nearly every elementary school in this city - parochial, public and charter - north and south of the River. We believe getting officers in contact with children at a young age teaches them that police are trustworthy and there to help. I regularly hear rave reviews from teachers about the impact our DARE officers have on children in the schools they serve.<br /><br /><b>Badges for Basics</b> <br />Our <a href="https://www.kcpd.org/media/2346/informant_july-2019.pdf">Badges for Basics</a> program is solving crime and building trust with toilet paper and shampoo. This collaboration with the non-profit, Giving the Basics, provides hygiene products to members of our community who have difficulty affording them. Our officers go to high-crime and low-income areas to hand out these products so residents can have dignity. The Badges for Basics partnership earned the Excellence in Collaboration honor from NonProfit Connect’s Philanthropy Awards in May and has been featured in multiple national publications. From March 21 through today, Badges for Basics has given out nearly 30,000 hygiene products. <br /><br /><b>Holiday help </b><br />Just two weeks ago, we partnered with Hy-Vee and Harvesters to provide 500 free Christmas dinners to needy families. On Dec. 23, we worked with Hy-Vee again to deliver catered meals to four deserving families identified by our social workers. Many Christmas gifts were delivered that day, as well. I couldn’t possibly count how much money our members spend out of their own pockets to make the holidays brighter for so many families in our community. It’s not just during the holidays, either. I’d be willing to bet every officer on this department has bought a Happy Meal for a child in a tough situation. <br /><br /><b>Assisting sexual assault victims </b><br />One of our crime scene technicians went viral with her idea to provide new sheets and bedding to victims of sexual assault. CSI usually has to take these items to process for physical evidence, and it often is the only bedding the victim has. When our CSI tech asked for donations of new sheets to provide to victims, the request went viral on our Facebook page in 2018. It recirculated again this year, and we received so many packages of new sheets and bedding in 2019 (from Kansas City and around the world) that we ran out of room to store them and distributed them to neighboring agencies. <br /><br /><br />Many of the things outlined here are not short-term fixes to problems like violent crime or mistrust of law enforcement. They are means to meeting long-term goals of a safer city for everyone and a trusting relationship between KCPD and the community. We are in it for the long haul. Fixing the problems of violence and mistrust takes long, hard work, and we are committed to that. <br /><br />We may not be able to convince every last person that we are here for good, but for the 32 years I’ve been here, this police department has been working tirelessly to build as much trust as we possibly can. I think that sets us apart from other cities where a trusting relationship with the community isn’t such a priority for law enforcement. That trust is a very big deal to me and the members of the KCPD, and we will work toward it with every Trunk-or-Treat, social worker visit and 911 response we can. <br /><br />You may have noticed that many of the good things we got to be a part of in 2019 were the result of partnerships with individuals, non-profits, faith communities and businesses. These are people who care deeply about their city and want good things for it. They help pay for the projector at movie nights, holiday meals at Christmas and Halloween candy for children. They transport beds for our social workers to give to families who don’t have one. They give us hygiene products to help those who need them for dignity. They are the unsung heroes of Kansas City. <br /><br />What I’ve outlined here are just a very few of the good things we got to be part of in 2019. Yes, we will always be there when the bad things happen, but we look forward to being part of more and more good, as well.</span><br />
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Chief Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882979965649030961noreply@blogger.com