Swearing in the newest KCPD officers

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

What's been in my e-mail inbox lately

In just the last two weeks, I have received multiple e-mails from residents praising members of this department. Several had gone on ride-alongs and were impressed to see how officers conduct themselves on a day-to-day basis. Others were pleased with the way officers resolved a situation. I wanted to share some of these messages with you:

From a woman whose car stereo was stolen last fall and didn’t expect to get it back:

I was very surprised to receive a call from Detective Herriman on May 14th that our stereo had been located in a pawn shop. He explained what actions I could take, and when I expressed that I did not want to press charges, but was unsure about contacting the owner myself, he told me that he might be able to retrieve the stereo with me, which was great because we had never replaced it. He asked if I could meet him at the pawn shop, and I explained that my husband had just had surgery, and I had been told not to leave him alone for the first few days of recovery. He then told me that he could drop the stereo off at our home that same afternoon. I was really shocked by how helpful he was, especially for such a small item!

Not only was Detective Herriman extremely helpful and friendly, but I think it's really incredible that pawn shops and other retailers are being checked for stolen goods. Even though property crimes like these are minor offenses, it really does increase my sense of safety at how thorough the police force in Kansas City is. Thank you so much for all you do, especially Detective Herriman!

From a woman who did a ride-along in the Metro Patrol Division on May 21

We hear a great deal of media coverage regarding Kansas City’s exploding homicide rate and, understandably, it deserves the media’s attention. But, we rarely hear about the outstanding service our KMCO Police Officers provide day-in-and-day-out. They are the first responders – they put their own lives on the line every day to protect our citizenry and, unfortunately, they receive little public recognition for their tremendous effort.

I watched Officer Grizzoffi deal with a mother of four, living in deplorable conditions, and yet he was kind and considerate of her circumstances. As the night progressed I saw him interact with numerous individuals who would push the limit of tolerance for many individuals, including myself. I observed Officer Grizzoffi assist 2 other officers with the detainment and arrest of a habitual criminal calmly and professionally. And I was moved by Officer Grizzoffi’s effort to reach out to a troubled woman who had attempted suicide with compassion and sympathy.

Nothing I do professionally, on any given day, no matter how “taxing” I find it to be, can compare to what our police officers face on a daily basis. I am very thankful we are protected by exceptional policemen, like Officer Grizzoffi.

From a woman who lives in South Kansas City:

I'd just like to say thanks to all the officers, in cars and on horses, who did such a great job peacefully dispelling the very large group of kids attempting to overrun the 7-11 at Blue Ridge Blvd and 107th Street around noon on Wednesday, May 23rd! Their approach and plan was just perfect, and their professionalism evident.

From a man who went on a ride-along in the South Patrol Division on May 11:

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to participate in the Ride Along program this past May 11. I would also like to commend the officer that I accompanied, Officer Cooper and his partner, Jason. It was a terrific learning experience for me and gave me insight into the challenges the police on the street face every day. Officer Cooper displayed sharp reaction in a difficult domestic violence situation and handled it with poise. Both of these officers showed a clear understanding of the law they are assigned to uphold and are attentive to the procedures required to fulfill case duty.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Officers honored for helping homeless woman get home, income

Today I presented a Certificate of Commendation to two officers who really went above and beyond. They helped a homeless woman get a home and income. Here's their story:

In April of this year, Officers Kenny Miller and Doug Harr came in contact with Teresa, a homeless woman begging for money and living under a bridge. Officers Miller and Harr asked Teresa how she had gotten to this point in her life. She said that her husband, who spent eight years in the military, had died two years ago. That left her with no income, and she lost her house. She had applied for his death benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2009 but never heard back from them.

Officers Miller and Harr followed up, contacting the appropriate people at Veterans Affairs. They found that Teresa had applied for the benefits but her case was closed because the VA could not find her. They then were told that if they could provide the VA with Teresa’s marriage certificate, the case could be re-opened and processed. Realizing she had some cognitive disabilities, the officers went to work helping Teresa with the necessary paperwork.

They contacted the Platte County records clerk, got Teresa’s marriage license mailed to Central Patrol Division, and gave her a ride to the VA to work with a benefits specialist who re-opened her case. The dedication and persistence of these two officers allowed Teresa to get what she was entitled to: more than $650 a month in benefits with several months of back pay.

Officers Miller and Harr did not stop there. They continued to assist Teresa with every phone call, coordinating all necessary paperwork and getting her in touch with Assertive Community Outreach for case management and supportive housing services. Teresa now has her own apartment and sent Officers Harr and Miller Christmas cards.


Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

KCPD escorts Secret Santa

Every year around this time, officers of the Kansas City Police Department get the privilege of escorting Kansas City's Secret Santa. They did so yesterday. This generous Santa has picked up where the original Secret Santa left off. Larry Stewart passed away in 2007 after leaving a legacy of helping those who were down and out throughout the city by passing out money to them around Christmas time.


This year, Santa even let Mayor Sly James and some of the officers help out as elves yesterday. You can see more pictures in the album on our Facebook page.

The officers and Santa - we've gotta keep him secret!

Santa let our officers pass out some money to deserving people, too.

Police escort and provide protection for Secret Santa and his elves when they distribute money.

Police give back

Another great article from our December Informant newsletter explaining the generosity of a few KCPD members:

The small acts of kindness police do every day rarely make headlines: buying a meal for a hungry child, finding homes for stray animals, helping someone with home repair.

But as the season of giving approaches, it’s worth pointing out just a few stories of the generosity of KCPD members.

The gift of sight
Officer Shawnie Nix with the Police Athletic League (PAL) said she “tries to take care of my kids.” PAL provides after-school athletic and academic opportunities for at-risk children and teenagers in the urban core. Officer Nix coaches the boxing program. Her supervisor, Sergeant Brad Deichler, said she has a huge heart, buying the girls she coaches Christmas gifts, meals and taking them to Chiefs and Royals games – all out of her own pocket.

Officer Nix noticed that 13-year-old Dakota Masquat was having trouble seeing the exercises written on the board in the gym. Dakota boxes at PAL four nights a week, and Officer Nix asked her if she had trouble seeing at school, too. The girl admitted she couldn’t see the board well there, either. But Officer Nix knew there was little chance Dakota would get the vision care she needed because she lives with her grandmother, who is disabled, lives on a restricted income and has no form of transportation.

So Officer Nix took it upon herself to find a way to get Dakota glasses. She did some research and found the One Sight organization was going to be in town in November. The non-profit provides vision care and glasses to those who can’t afford it. They brought a mobile unit to Union Station, so on her day off, Nov. 9, Officer Nix picked up Dakota and took her to it. Dakota said she learned one eye had 20/40 vision, and the other 20/70. While she had glasses made to her specifications, she got to visit the exhibits at Union Station. She said she sees much better now and wears her glasses all the time in class.

When asked why she went to all the work for Dakota, Officer Nix said, “Because she needed it.”


Shattered glass
Detective Alane Booth of the Homicide Unit was doing her twice-yearly assignment in patrol with Officer Michael Feagans in Center Zone when they responded to a disturbance between neighbors Nov. 26. One couple had taken in a hungry dog and paid adoption fees to the city animal shelter, but teens down the street insisted the dog was theirs, and came threatening the couple. They called police and returned the dog to the teenagers. But the teens came back and threw a pick-axe in the windshield of the couple’s only vehicle, mad that they’d called police.

This made Booth and Feagans angry.

“They did nothing to bring this property damage on themselves – no drama or bad decision-making,” Detective Booth said. “I could just see their desire to help this poor dog, and all they got was backlash and retaliation.”

As they were taking the report, the officers learned the wife had epilepsy and possibly breast cancer and was scheduled for a mastectomy soon. Without a car, she couldn’t make it to her doctor’s appointments. Detective Booth told her she would do what she could to get their windshield replaced.

She searched charities online and eventually got in touch with a local television reporter, asking if he knew anyone who could help. He connected her with the Cars 4 Christmas organization, which connected her with someone who would go to the couple’s home and replace the windshield for free. Their windshield was replaced Dec. 1 at no cost.

But Detective Booth wanted to ensure the dog was taken care of, too. She notified Chain of Hope, an organization that works to end animal abuse and neglect in the inner city, to keep tabs on the dog’s welfare.

Above and beyond all year long
Three separate people notified the Media Unit of Crime Scene Technician Supervisor Melanie Bartch’s quiet, year-round generosity. On her own, she has adopted a homeless camp and collects and delivers items there on a monthly basis, including coats, pillows, socks, long underwear, hats, gloves, canned goods, bottled water, hand warmers and books.

When her son was serving in the military overseas, she gathered supplies to send not just to him but to his entire unit. When she heard about a soldier in the unit who had not received any mail since his deployment, she spread the word to ensure he got cards for the holidays.

She’s also rescued countless cats and dogs, finding them loving homes.

Her colleagues recognize her generosity.

“She is so giving to whomever and whatever,” one said. “She has a big heart and is constantly helping others.”

So many more
Every day, members of the Kansas City Police Department do something to help the suffering they encounter. Many have adopted needy families for Christmas. Others are helping organize a city-wide Christmas day dinner for the elderly and lonely who have nowhere else to go. Some buy and deliver food to needy families. One officer organized a drive to help a family who lost everything in a November fire rebuild their lives. The officers of the PAL Unit have an annual Christmas party for children and teens who wouldn’t otherwise expect much under the tree. These acts of generosity aren’t written in any policies, they’re just ingrained into the people of the Kansas City Police Department.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Employee struck at DUI checkpoint doing well

I am happy to report that Greg Sowers, the KCPD fleet operations technician who was hit at a DUI checkpoint last month, is recovering nicely. After a week in the hospital and several more weeks at home recuperating, he was able to meet with the media today to discuss his ordeal. He's getting around pretty well on crutches but faces up to a year before his leg will be completely healed. He suffered a major break in his tibia, effectively separating the lower part of his leg from the upper part just below the knee. After a surgery with a metal plate and 10 screws, doctors have told him he could eventually get more than 90 percent of the original usage of his leg back. Greg said he misses running, playing softball and riding his motorcycle, but he acknowledged he's only alive "by the grace of God."

Greg credited his motorcycle riding with playing a part in saving his life. He said he's laid a bike down a few times before - never with more than minor injuries - and knew how to take a fall. Still, nothing could prepare him for what he experienced in the early morning hours of June 11. A car intent on fleeing the checkpoint plowed through it and struck Greg. He said he tried to get out of the way, but the car seemed to be coming at him, and he hit the hood. He grabbed onto a windshield wiper as the vehicle hit another police car and then took off. At one point, Greg said he realized he still had his flashlight in his hand and dropped it to grab onto the other wiper. He said all he wanted was for the car to slow down enough to let him off.

He eventually knew the car wasn't slowing down, so he said he curled up in a ball so he could be prepared to roll off if it didn't stop. This obscured some of the driver's vision, and Greg remembers the driver whipping the car back and forth to shake him off. He eventually did at 82nd and Troost, six blocks from the checkpoint. Greg said he hit the ground on all fours. His leg had been broken on the initial impact with the car. Police found him on the road a minute or two later and got an ambulance there. Greg gave credit to the tough jacket he'd borrowed from a motorcycle officer earlier that night for saving him from road rash and worse injuries.

Greg is a resilient guy. He said he'd love to work more DUI checkpoints, but he's going to honor the wishes of his mother and girlfriend and not do so.

Because of this incident, we've changed some of our protocol at checkpoints. Civilian employees like Greg no longer will stand in the check lane. Only officers will drive cars of suspected drunk drivers off the roadway, which is what Greg had been doing that night. Officers also now are equipped with Stop Sticks at DUI checkpoints to deflate the tires of those who might flee and cause a danger to others.

Tyrone Campbell, 25, has been charged with hitting Greg. He's pictured below.

All of us here at KCPD are so grateful Greg made it through this ordeal, and we wish him a very speedy recovery and swift return to our Fleet Operations Unit!

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Officer honored for saving Christmas for family

Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting Officer Chad Fenwick with a Certificate of Commendation for his selfless acts this past Christmas. On Dec. 16, 2010, Officer Fenwick was dispatched to a disturbance at a house where he found a woman living with eight of her 10 children (the two oldest ones already had moved out on their own). She said her husband had beaten her badly, and she and the children had lived in and out of domestic violence shelters for more than a year before getting the house through aid.

Officer Fenwick saw the family had very little, and when he asked one of the children what she wanted for Christmas, the girl said, “peace.” The family’s plight weighed on him, so on Christmas Eve, he showed up with three large bags of gifts he’d purchased for everyone in the family. He called two other officers to help him communicate this with the mother, who spoke only Spanish. The translating officers were so touched, they, too, went and bought gifts for the family. The mother was so grateful that she invited all three officers over for Christmas dinner the next day.

As Officer Fenwick's commander, Captain Todd Paulson, put it, “Officer Fenwick’s actions were the reason that this family was able to have Christmas.”

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

KCPD's Body Shop creates new show car

There are many behind-the-scenes people at KCPD who don't get much public credit for the hard work they do. One of those is the Body Shop in our Fleet Operations Unit. Police cars can take a beating, and it's amazing how these talented technicians can put them back together. They save the department hundreds of thousands of dollars by repairing cars instead of forcing us to replace wrecked ones. In their downtime, they recently got to show off their skills by creating a new show car. Here's the story from our Informant newsletter, with pictures of the car below:

For the first time in more than 17 years, KCPD has a new show car to take to community events.

Police take the show car to dozens of events throughout the year. It’s a favorite among children and provides an opportunity for police to build relationships with residents. The previous show car, a 1993 Crown Victoria, had to be towed to all of its appearances. The new one, a 2006 Crown Vic, will head out on its own.

Fleet Unit Supervisor Darrell Cooper said the 2006 Crown Vic is a former KCPD patrol car that was taken out of service.

“Rather than sell it, we took it in, put a paint job on it, put some wheels on it and did some work on the interior,” he said.

Body Shop Supervisor Marvin Russell said all of the Fleet Unit’s Body Shop section brainstormed about a theme for the new car. They decided it should be a memorial to officers killed in the line of duty. The car features a large badge with a black mourning band on the front driver and passenger doors, stripes of the American flag all around and an eagle on the hood.

Fleet Operations Technician Michael Barton painted the flag portions, and Russell’s nephew, Kimo Russell, airbrushed the flag’s shading and the eagle. Carrell Brothers Colors even donated all of the paint.

“It came out really nice,” Supervisor Russell said.

The Body Shop also put on a spoiler and some shiny new wheels. They took the stereo out of the old car and installed it on the new one, as well as cleaned up the interior.

“The guys in the Body Shop all took part,” Russell said.

The new show car will start making more and more public appearances as the weather warms for spring and summer festivals and community events.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Westside garden deters crime, creates community

As spring comes to Kansas City, residents of the Westside are looking forward to doing more work in their community garden, which is a partnership between police, the Westside CAN Center and other groups. The below story from the April edition of our Informant newsletter explains what the garden is all about. Go to Westside CAN's web site to see lots of pictures of the garden.


What once was a vacant Westside building housing vagrants now is a source of community pride, educational opportunities, vegetables and chickens.

This is the second season of the Westside Community Action Network (CAN) Center’s community garden at 20th Street and West Pennway. A previous garden spot behind the CAN Center is now a parking lot.

“The community members get to know each other, kids are learning, and we’re reducing crime and creating community,” said Officer Matt Tomasic, who came up with the idea for the garden with Officer Octavio “Chato” Villalobos and Westside CAN Director Lynda Callon. “… There is no downside to this.”

The garden features 30 plots, all of which are claimed by community members. It sits where a vacant building was torn down more than two years ago. The site owner lets Westside CAN use the land for free. Community members grow everything from garlic to carrots to spinach to pumpkin to cantaloupe. A butterfly garden attracts monarchs, and old tires painted primary colors house flowers and vine plants. Because there is no plumbing at the site, all water comes from rain barrels colorfully painted by local school children. The garden’s first beehive is due to arrive in mid-April.

“The primary purpose of the bees is to increase the harvest,” said Ezekiel Amador III, community member and beekeeper. “… Then in August, we’ll harvest their honey.”

Also on the site: chickens. Officer Tomasic said local schools hatched the eggs but then didn’t know what to do with the chicks, so the community garden took them in. Westsider Cosmé Pantoja built them a sprawling enclosure with donated materials and tends to them daily. The six hens and two roosters produce about eight eggs each day.

Amador and Marcella Morales-Gaona, another Westsider and gardener, lead and participate in workshops for residents and their children to learn more about growing plants. Gaona said they’ve had no problem with theft or vandalism both because the site is fenced and because the community takes pride in the garden.

“The beauty of it is when it’s warmer, people are here until dark,” Officer Tomasic said. “If they’re not working, they’re socializing until 9 or 10 o’clock at night.”

Amador said community partnerships – like the ones the garden enjoys with the nearby Irene Ruiz Library and KCPD – are what make the garden happen.

“People don’t even see the officers as having a police connection,” Amador said. “To them, they’re just neighborhood and community guys.”

One KCPD connection is evident at the garden right now, however: two large piles of manure produced by the horses of the Mounted Patrol Section to be used as fertilizer.

“This is the good stuff,” Gaona said. “We’ve been waiting on this.”


Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

KCPD under-cover squad named Law Enforcement Unit of the Year

A big congratulations is due to our Street Crimes Unit 1930 Squad for being named 2010 Law Enforcement Unit of the Year last week by the Missouri Narcotics Officers Association at the group's annual conference. This award is given to units that exhibit "exemplary performance resulting in positive impact on a community or the law enforcement profession."

It's good to see a group that gets so little recognition because of the under-cover nature of their assignments be awarded for their good work. This group also  received our department's Special Unit Citation in a private ceremony last week for all the work they did leading up to the 2009 and 2010 Violent Crime initiatives (four in all) and Operation BLING. These are the men and women who gather the evidence and intelligence for search warrants in these operations. They work with some of the city's most dangerous criminals to end the plague of violence that drugs bring to our streets.

Good work, 1930 Squad.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Officers help single mom get back on her feet

Today I presented a Special Unit Citation to a group of officers from the North Patrol Division for their outstanding work helping a woman who was very down on her luck. Here's their story:

Officers Linda Walker and J.D. Pettey knew something was fishy about the repeated calls they received to a Northland apartment to meet Family Services and check the welfare of children there. Officers got called there nearly 20 times between March and August 2010.

The children – ages 2, 4, 5 and 7 – were always fine, so the officers asked their mother, Nicole, what was going on. She said her husband had left and was repeatedly reporting her to the Division of Family Services and police. He also had taken everything, including all the furniture, linens, personal items and the children’s clothes. Officer Walker and Pettey informed their sector of the problem, and the officers realized the husband was trying to harass Nicole by repeatedly calling the child welfare agencies. He also had filed a petition saying the children’s babysitter was dangerous.

The officers went to court on behalf of Nicole during the case. Officer Pettey gave the judge documentation from all the calls for service to the residence, and the judge denied the husband’s petition. But the officers knew Nicole needed more than legal help. In addition to the four children, she was pregnant with a fifth, and they had little more than the clothes on their backs. They had just one bed among the five of them.

Officers Pettey, Walker, James Green and Doug Hopper got Hillcrest Thrift to donate several outfits for the children, some furniture and a gift card. Officer Walker and her neighbors donated several sacks of groceries and hygiene products. Officer Green worked with his church to get a $200 gift card to Wal-Mart to buy school supplies, underwear, shoes and one toy for each child as well as sheets and towels. Wal-Mart also gave them a 10 percent discount. Officer Pettey and his wife, Officer Tina Connor-Pettey, donated a day bed and mattress. Over the next two weeks in July 2010, the officers gathered more donations of groceries, toys and other goods for the family and helped them get back on their feet.

The officers have checked on Nicole and her children from time to time since then. She is no longer being harassed, and the children are adjusting and doing well. Major Vince Cannon said, “These officers’ display of compassion both on and off duty is a true example of how we have embraced the community.”

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Police honor Target, CVS employees and detectives for busting big theft ring

Pictured from left are Brooke Robinson of Target and Keri Christeson and Greg Leiker of CVS

In the past year, we've busted some major retail theft rings. These busts don't happen without the cooperation of the retailers involved, and today we honored some people from CVS and Target who went out of their way to help us stop a mother-and-son team of thieves. Here's what they and the detectives did:

On May 3, 2010, Detectives Chad Herriman and Tod Reaves learned from an informant that she was stealing thousands of dollars in health and beauty care products and supplying it to a man and his mother, who were then reselling the items at swap-and-shops and flea markets. The source said the man and his mother made lists of what they wanted her and other boosters to steal – everything from nail polish to detergent. The group would steal the requested items and sell them to the mother and son for pennies on the dollar.

Detectives Herriman and Reaves went under-cover and arranged five controlled sales with the mother-son thieves using purportedly stolen merchandise that was in fact donated by CVS and Target. Detectives Herriman and Reaves posed as boosters, and in their under-cover role, sold more than $6,800 worth of merchandise to the mother and son. They were paid $990 for these items. Detectives recorded each controlled sale and used Tactical Response Teams as take-down crews.

Once enough evidence was gathered, police got search warrants for the suspect’s homes and businesses. They found more than 24,300 items of stolen merchandise worth more than $177,000. The son claimed he had paid out more than $720,000 in the last year to boosters, and he said he paid them about 20% of the value of the items.

Sergeant Michael Foster said Detectives Herriman and Reaves identified and stopped a fencing operation that was costing the local economy a great deal. He said they were directly responsible for gathering information, maintaining confidential sources and coordinating with CVS and Target for controlled buys. Likewise, Sergeant Foster said solving the whole case would not have happened without the cooperation of Greg Leiker and Keri Christeson of CVS and Brooke Robinson and Mike Gudgell of Target.

He said, “Without their participation or donations, this case would not have been possible.”

Nor would the case have been solved without the long hours the Central Patrol Property Crimes Section and TRT 1 spent conducting surveillance, maintaining logs, documenting controlled sales, executing search warrants and recovering and documenting more than 24,000 pieces of property.

The mother, 64-year-old Alice Reed, is awaiting trial on a felony count of theft  greater than $25,000 and two felony counts of receiving stolen property. Her son, 45-year-old George Reed, is awaiting trial on the same counts plus an additional count of receiving stolen property.

Channel 41 did a nice piece on this particular theft ring when we served the search warrants in July, and you can watch their video here.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

East Patrol surveys

Like many of our other patrol divisions, the East Patrol Division has been doing surveys to follow up with residents who call police for service, see them at a community meeting or get pulled over. Sergeants contact the people involved to see if they received all the services police could offer them. They’ve even surveyed the people they arrested. Out of 336 surveys that were returned between July and December 2010, 97 percent of people said they were satisfied with police services.

Interestingly, complaints filed against East Patrol officers during 2010 fell by about 35 percent. While we don’t know the exact cause of this drop, I’d like to attribute some of it to the follow-up surveys. They give residents an outlet of feedback to the police department other than us just taking a report. Here’s what some of the residents had to say on their surveys:

• From a stranded motorist: “The officer was great. He stopped and asked me what was wrong and was very nice and respectful to me and my kids.”

• From an East-side crime victim: “The help we received today from the outstanding KCMO officers was invaluable. We need more officers of their caliber. … Too often only the bad stuff about officers is reported and as a concerned citizen, I attest to their ability to ‘serve and protect’!”

• From an assault victim: “The officer was very helpful and compassionate. He took pictures of my injury. He cared.”

• And even from a man who was unhappy he was arrested for a domestic violence assault: “The officer stopped the problem, I guess.”

What the surveys have revealed are comments like this about our officers are not the exception. By and large, citizens believe their police officers are doing a good job, and I would argue that’s because they are. We’re doing everything in our power to serve Kansas City with integrity, accountability, and the rest of our critical values.



Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Police stop prolific Northland thief

Last week, a man broke into his neighbor’s home at 55th and North Woodland. He knocked on the door, and when a developmentally disabled teenager answered it, he pushed his way inside and stole a laptop computer. He left, then came back and stole more. Then, he started making threatening calls to the victims. On Dec. 21, police caught up with the man they believe to be the theft suspect, 32-year-old Brandon Seys, but he refused to stop for officers. They pursued him, but Seys eluded them and drove through a fence at Davidson Elementary School. Realizing Seys could be a serious danger to the public, police called off the pursuit. But they later found his truck outside his girlfriend’s house at Barry Road and Evanston. They obtained a search warrant for the property and found a large stash of stolen goods.

The Shoal Creek Patrol Division’s property room now is full of stolen items – many power tools and pieces of construction equipment, but also a lawnmower, laptop computers, purses, cell phones, even a child’s ceramic bank with change inside. Police believe Seys was stealing from cars, homes and retail stores. Detectives have identified several of the victims and are continuing to do so. They’re coming from all over the city. Detectives also conducted a residence check at Seys’ parents’ home and recovered the laptop stolen from his neighbors and returned it to them.

Seys has been charged with burglary in Clay County and is being held on $100,000 bond. With Seys’ incarceration, detectives of the Shoal Creek Property Crimes Section believe they’ve stopped a major source of property crime both north of the River and in the metro area. He is on parole for assault on a law enforcement officer and has only been out of custody since Sept. 1. Since that time, police thinking he actively had been stealing in Kansas City.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

Officers, dispatchers, recognized for helping elderly robbery victim

Three police officers and two of our dispatchers received Certificates of Commendation today for going above and beyond to help a woman who was the victim of a nasty robbery. They caught the suspects, but they did much more than that. You can read their story below. Above are the officers and Mrs. Christianson, the woman they helped, who made sure to come to Headquarters today to see her "angels" receive their awards.

What started as a robbery call turned into something much more for a group of caring officers and dispatchers.

On August 4, 2010, an elderly woman recovering from hip surgery was pushed to the ground, sprayed with pepper spray and robbed. Officers Brad Rains and William Pritchett were the first to arrive. They summoned an ambulance and asked the woman if she knew who had attacked her. She knew one girl’s first name, and because of their knowledge of the neighborhood, the officers had a good idea of who one of the suspects was. They found her and arrested her and her accomplice. Officer Rita Olson-Stawicki came to stay with and gather more information from the victim.

But when they were at the elderly victim’s house, they noticed how very hot it was. She told them her air conditioner hadn’t worked in years. Excessive heat warnings were in place, and the officers feared for the woman’s safety. They called dispatch to see if dispatchers could connect them to any resources. Dispatchers Sarah Gartman and Chrystal Hampton were happy to help. They contacted several agencies who were willing to temporarily relocate the elderly woman to a cooling center for the night, but the officers and dispatchers wanted a permanent solution. The dispatchers then began calling stores in search of window air conditioning units, but many were sold out because of the heat. They continued their regular dispatch duties while searching for an air conditioner.

Dispatchers Gartman and Hampton finally found a store with an air conditioner, and they and the officers pooled their own money together to buy it. The officers then took the air conditioner to the elderly woman’s house, installed it, and then showed her how to use it.

In a letter to the officers, the woman wrote, “You are all my designated angels, and I am eternally gateful.”

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

City Council honors Westside officers

The Kansas City Council passed a resolution today honoring KCPD Officers Matt Tomasic and Octavio "Chato" Villalobos. Both of these officers work out of the Westside Community Action Network Center and are the absolute picture of community policing. They recently presented at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference and received a lot of praise there.

Part of the resolution honoring Officers Tomasic and Villalobos states:

WHEREAS, the Westside Community Action Network (Westside CAN Center), a pioneer in community policing, has set the gold standard for innovative and effective crime prevention; and

WHEREAS, the Westside CAN Center, with a vision that sees all people as human beings without regard to country of origin, status or income, in its first year of operation, reduced calls for service on the City's Westside by 57 percent; and

WHEREAS, much of the Westside CAN’s success is due to the dedication of its police officers in building a trust in the diverse Westside community through such programs as the Urban Camp-out, Back to School Pep Rally and school supply drive, graffiti abatement, a Day Labor Center, and weekly visits to neighborhood schools.

Four years ago, I wrote an article in Police Chief Magazine about the formation of a Day Labor Center on the Westside that solved a host of community problems. Officers Tomasic and Villalobos along with Westside CAN Director Lynda Callon were the driving force behind that initiative.

The officers received a standing ovation at City Hall today. Many Westside merchants, school staff and neighbors came to support them, and it was great to see the relationship they've built together. Congratulations, Officers.

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Secret Santa is at it again

Secret Santa is up to his old ways in Kansas City, handing out cash to those who most need it. KCPD officers had the privilege last week of escorting Santa on some of his annual rounds. Santa distributed thousands of dollars to unsuspecting individuals at thrift stores, at the bus stop and other locations. This Secret Santa, who travelled in disguise, carries on the tradition begun by Larry Stewart, who passed away three years ago. Santa and his elves have encouraged Secret Santas in other cities to pass on their generosity, too.

Kansas City's Secret Santa had a special guest this year:, comedian Larry the Cable Guy. He came along as part of a new show called "Only in America" that will begin on the History Channel on Feb. 9, 2011.

KCPD officers got to spread some of Secret Santa's good cheer to one of their own, too. Secret Santa left Major Anthony Ell of the East Patrol Division a $100 bill to pass on to Building Operations Tech Pat Stobbe, who has worked at EPD for 11 years and has been with the department for 12. Major Ell presented Pat with the gift this morning.

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Pop Warner team presents their trophy to Police Academy

Last Thursday, Nov. 18, the Pop Warner football team, the North Kansas City Wildcats, presented us with their Truman Bowl trophy. This was the "Super Bowl" for their league, and this group of sixth- and seventh-graders won it. So why did they give us their trophy? It was to thank the police department for letting them use the football field at our Regional Police Academy to practice on for free. The team has been practicing there since August and continue to do so now. We really appreciate this heartfelt gesture from the team and are proudly displaying their trophy inside the Academy. Captain Daniel Gates accepted the trophy on behalf of the department.

Our Police Academy facilities are available for community use. If you're interested, call 413-3500. If you'd like to host a special event there, you can rent rooms and even the auditorium. More information is available here.

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A better climate in arrest vans

For those who have been arrested in Kansas City on a freezing cold or burning hot day, the short trip to jail hasn’t been a comfortable one. Our 20 or so arrest vans do not have heat or air conditioning in the prisoner compartment. We had installed fans, but they often weren’t enough.

A small group of officers and a sergeant in the Metro Patrol Division decided to do something about this. This past summer, they rigged up a PVC pipe that attached to the air vent in the cabin and came out in the prisoner compartment so arrestees could get some air conditioning. When one of our Fleet Operations Unit supervisors saw what they’d done, he engineered an even better system with a fan that circulates the cabin’s heat or air-conditioning into the prisoner compartment. As one of the officers who drives the van said, “It’s the same air the officers are breathing.”

About four of the arrest vans have been retrofitted with the system thus far, and more will be as they’re brought in for service. It costs only about $50 to make this big difference in prisoner comfort. All new vans are being ordered with the air circulation system already in place.

I was very impressed when I heard these officers cared so much about the treatment of people who have just been arrested. They spent their own time and money to rig up a system to keep prisoners cool or warm. I was even more impressed when our Fleet Operations Unit took their idea and ran with it, coming up with an inexpensive and more effective way to deliver heating and cooling. In the grand scheme of things, this is a little adjustment, but it speaks volumes of the kinds of compassionate and problem-solving people we have working at this department.

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Construction now underway for new South Patrol and Special Ops divisions

As I told you about last week, we broke ground on Friday on the new South Patrol and Special Operations division staions. It was a great day with lots of Southland community members, elected officials, and officers who are excited to get new facilities.

Below are the remarks I delivered at the event, and some pictures from the day. Keep in mind this project is being paid for by the 1/4-cent public safety sales tax voters passed in 2002. That tax is up for renewal tomorrow. Here are my remarks from that day: 

"Thank you, everyone, for joining us on this crisp morning. I want to especially welcome the elected officials here with us today, the members of the Board of Police Commissioners, staff members of the City Architect’s Office and our Capital Improvements Unit, Hoefer Wysocki Architects and Titan Construction. All of you have played a big part in getting us to this day.

Where we stand today was once the Hart Grove Campground. It was a place of rest and refreshment for pioneers headed west on the three trails that converged here: the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails. It was a safe haven for those pioneers, and it will be a safe haven once again. The construction of the new South Patrol and Special Operations Division stations will increase police presence and effectiveness both here in the Southland and throughout the city. We believe it will spur development in this area and deter crime.

These facilities are badly needed. The current South Patrol Division was built in 1978 and is not serving the needs of officers or residents. Its roof is leaking, there are inadequate facilities for female officers and community groups, and highway access is poor. Our Special Operations Division is housed in an even worse location – a dilapidated, old warehouse built in the 1930s with horrible leaks and mold that has previously caught fire.

Our officers and the community deserve better. And thanks to the generosity and foresight of Kansas City voters, they will get it. This station is being constructed with money generated from the quarter-cent public safety sales tax that residents approved in 2002. I want to sincerely thank the community for recognizing the importance of public safety. Without you, none of this would be possible."

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