Downtown needs larger police presence

Issues concerning Downtown as described by the Downtown Council. River to 31st Street, I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins.
aknowledgeableperson
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by aknowledgeableperson »

Downtown is not the only place that needs a larger police presence (many places in the 3rd District come to mind).  This is a city-wide issue for many and this larger police presence may not solve all problems that increased activity will bring to the area.

And the city needs to pull the liquor license of Skybox, not increase the police patrols. 
I may be right.  I may be wrong.  But there is a lot of gray area in-between.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by Sparty »

aknowledgeableperson wrote: Downtown is not the only place that needs a larger police presence (many places in the 3rd District come to mind).  This is a city-wide issue for many and this larger police presence may not solve all problems that increased activity will bring to the area.

And the city needs to pull the liquor license of Skybox, not increase the police patrols. 
I'm dumbfounded.  I had to re-read your post three times to make sure I agree with something you posted.  I still can't believe I'm typing this.
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K.C.Highrise
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by K.C.Highrise »

How bout they pull the license and increase patrols? That way the dumbshits are less likely to shoot each other. :) That has to cost less to the tax payers than emergency surgery at Truman multiple times a year. :)
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by aknowledgeableperson »

The point is many neighborhoods in KCMO want and need a larger police presence, not just downtown.  And many neighborhoods in KCMO want and need city reinvestments in their infrastructure, just like downtown.  Or do you choose to ignore other areas of the city other than downtown?

If you inquiring about Skybox, I just might be mistaken but hasn't that spot had troubles/problems in the past?  If so, the city has the right to pull it's license just like it has for other night spots in town.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by KCPowercat »

then those other areas need to start carrying about their neighborhoods and requesting additional resources...and make it beneficial for the entire city to invest in them.  It's a two way street....that's why downtown gets focus, it has resources to give back to the entire city to make better city services in other KCMO neighborhoods possible.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by aknowledgeableperson »

Downtown is getting focus because it is a priority for whatever and many reasons.  Other areas are just being ignored.  It would be beneficial to invest resources in these areas also because that would help increase the density you and others claim they want.
Basically, you are a downtown resident wanting city services just like residents in these neglected areas want city services.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by KCPowercat »

the reason is primarily what I stated....investment downtown can quickly add tax income that can be invested in all neighborhoods.

Of course it would be awesome if we could invest every dollar needed to improve every neighborhood...but we all know that's not fiscally possible.  This has nothing to do with me...I find the city services fine as I did years ago not living downtown...so please don't assume you know my intentions.

City satisfaction is going up, so I guess not everybody feels ignored : http://www.kcmo.org/auditor/06-07audits ... rvey07.pdf
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aknowledgeableperson
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by aknowledgeableperson »

But given the TIF's and abatements and other incentives that added tax income is probably less than you realize.  Especially for those TIF's and Super TIF's that require city funds to pay for the development debt.
:)

Oh, let's see.  Citizen satisfaction "improved slightly" and "compared to other area communities and large US cities, Kansas City citizen's satisfaction is still near or at the bottom".
Last edited by aknowledgeableperson on Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by KCPowercat »

satisfaction is improving...that's the point.  Obviously people feel like they are not being ignored (at least compared to years past).

Glad the city has decided to focus on an area that can improve the bottom line of KCMO as a whole.  Let's hope it continues for the good of all residents.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by bahua »

It sure would be nice for there to be an actual police station downtown, and not all the way down in Midtown. Is there such a situation in any other major American city? With this in mind, it's hard to accept that the KCPD takes downtown security seriously.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by aknowledgeableperson »

Well, the headquarters is downtown.  Does that count?

At one time I thought there was a discussion, in KC, about having satellite police stations in visible areas in the city.  Maybe, maybe not. 

Having satellites would help bring police presence closer to the people.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by bahua »

aknowledgeableperson wrote: Well, the headquarters is downtown.  Does that count?
Not if it isn't staffed and feeding patrols at all hours, like the various patrol headquarters. If no, then no, it doesn't count. However, if I have been misinformed, and the downtown office is an actual functioning police station with the full capabilities of any of the patrol headquarters, then I withdraw my statement.

But after 5pm, the only activity I've ever seen at the downtown location is rush hour evacuation, like any other downtown office building. The impression I've always gotten is that it's just a 9-5 office, made for interaction with the government elements of downtown Kansas City.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by Sparty »

There is always detectives and other personnel at police HQ.  It is obviously busier during the day, but I don't think police work stops at 5.  The communications unit and the jail are there 24/7 also.  You constantly have officers from all around driving arrests downtown, increasing the amount of police cars driving through downtown.  There are more police cars and activity at police HQ than a patrol station at anytime of the day.  I don't know where it's at, but the footbeat has a "satellite" office type station somewhere in the loop.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by chrizow »

the SWAT vehicles are kept downtown too! 

at this point i don't think there needs to be a larger KCPD presence downtown b/c, guess what, not very much occurs downtown and there aren't that many people around.  if you don't feel safe downtown, don't go there, but i don't think we nee police babysitters downtown at this point.  now, after the arena and P+L open, then sure there should be at least one full-time KCPD patrol car there in addition to the bike/foot cops, but right now downtown is pretty dead unless shit is going down at Skybox at 3am.

if i had, say, 12 patrol cars to spread throughout the RCP area i think i'd have one or two in midtown, one on the plaza and into brookside, then about 10 in the eastern and northeastern parts of town where street crime is comparatively rampant. 
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by Beermo »

bahua wrote: Not if it isn't staffed and feeding patrols at all hours, like the various patrol headquarters. If no, then no, it doesn't count. However, if I have been misinformed, and the downtown office is an actual functioning police station with the full capabilities of any of the patrol headquarters, then I withdraw my statement.

But after 5pm, the only activity I've ever seen at the downtown location is rush hour evacuation, like any other downtown office building. The impression I've always gotten is that it's just a 9-5 office, made for interaction with the government elements of downtown Kansas City.
ahh, you never spent any time in jail. the hq is where they send you if you can't bond out of one of the stations while there for a few hours. i once spent an entire weekend there. went to court on monday and then spent 35 bliss filled days at the farm. you also get the hook to go there if you have state charges or are to be extradited to another county. done both of those too. hehe.

i do know that you will see cars and wagons there at all times during the day and nights off loading cargo.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by GuyInLenexa »

Hmmm....maybe Cordish should hire Blackwater for security.  :D
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K.C.Highrise
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by K.C.Highrise »

I don't live in other areas in the city. I live downtown. Therefore I wish the other areas of the city well, but I could care less about them. Garner, Lenexa and Lee Summit don't interest me.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by Maitre D »

K.C.Highrise wrote: I no fan of most cops..... but I can't wait for a larger police presence where I live. That sounds really weird to say...
If it's any consolation, it's even weirder to read.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by justin8216 »

I think they should install comprehensive video surveillance downtown with a 24 hour monitoring center. They could call up an area with a reported problem on a big screen and zoom in and coordinate the police response and track fleeing offenders who always disapprear before the police finally show up.
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Re: Downtown needs larger police presence

Post by schugg »

justin8216 wrote: Why does brookside get two and the plaza one? Is is because politically influential people live in Brookside?
because chrizow knows that there are lots of break-ins in that area, if not they have easy access to the plaza if they are needed there. yes, the most important people in KC live in brookside. :lol:
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