Kansas City’s Public Safety Task Force Fights Crime in East Side
Kansas City, Missouri, is taking a new approach to fight the ongoing violence plaguing the city. The city’s Public Safety Task Force and community advocates such as Partners for Peace have been working together to address crime hotspots in the area.
Canvassing Neighborhoods and Engaging Businesses
On Wednesday afternoon, the task force and community advocates spent time canvassing neighborhoods that are known crime hotspots. They went door-to-door, talking to businesses on Independence Ave from Hardesty Ave and Benton Ave, an area with a long history of crime.
The Public Safety Task Force was created in August, following a mass shooting on 57th and Prospect Ave that left three people dead and five others injured. The task force is made up of leaders in city departments such as the health department, KCATA, and Public Works.
Addressing Environmental Factors Contributing to Crime
The goal of the task force is to identify active crime hotspots and address environmental factors contributing to high crime rates, such as poor lighting, overgrown shrubs, and vacant houses. They also visited multiple businesses to ensure they are compliant with city ordinances and offered recommendations if needed.
Partners for Peace canvased the area alongside dozens of social services, offering support and resources to residents to show them that violence or crime is not the only option for survival.
Mayor Quinton Lucas Joins the Effort
Mayor Quinton Lucas also joined the effort, stating that he wants the area along the stretch of Independence Ave to know they are cared about. Mayor Lucas believes there is no single answer to violence and that it requires a community effort to make a change.
“Right now, on Independence Ave., and I say that with respect to this neighborhood as I would say to anywhere else, but right now in too many streets in Kansas City, murder, crime is too much of a reality,” said Mayor Lucas.
Mayor Lucas is hopeful that this new approach will give hope to residents and businesses that violence is not the solution and that Kansas Citians deserve to be safe, especially the youth.
“There are too many kids that are thinking that’s just the way it is, so we’re giving hope that there can be something different,” said Mayor Lucas.
Next Steps for the Public Safety Task Force
The Director of Public Safety announced that they would focus on this corridor for 90 days before moving on to a different location, which will be revealed at a later date. This proactive approach aims to make a tangible difference in the safety and well-being of Kansas City residents.
Source: KCTV5 News
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