Kansas City Redevelopment and Racial Segregation

[beccanator]

Today I was fortunate enough to take part in a Kansas City History and Economic Development Tour . Tour guides: Kansas City Historian Dr. Bill Worley and KC Development Officer Stan Counts.

Our tour consisted solely of the city’s Third District, the most economically deprived district in the city: with the highest number of vacant lots, halfway houses, most amount of litter, etc.

I have done some work in these neighborhoods, one of my research stations from a project last summer was located in the Oak Park neighborhood and just last week I was a member of the BTG’s Litter Index assessing some of these neighborhoods. However, this was my first historical tour of the area and my first time learning about some of the urban redevelopment projects underway and proposed in the area.

Some of the redevelopment projects focused on were: the 48th Street Alignment between Troost and the Paseo, a collaboration between KCP&L, Gates, UMKC, and KCMO. This will involve the razing of the remaining old red-brick buildings to be replaced by retail stores. The Twin Elms (and Twin Elms II) apartment complexes and some of the zoning challenges faced by developers and rehabbers were also on our list of stops. Dr. Worley enlightened us about interesting historical facts about the growth of the area, why the area was built up in such a way and its shifting demographics over the years. We drove past sites here and there where we were told by the development officer that this and that redevelopment project was underway, or soon to be, many of them TIF projects. However, by the time we had reached 39th and Prospect I was fed up with the type of the redevelopment he was discussing with us, particularly when he said: “It’s hard deciding whether housing or commercial comes first. It’s like the chicken and the egg.â€

[schugg]

plain and simple, tax base!  oh! and people who care about their neighborhood enough to take care of it.

[KCDevin]

Didn't they try to unsegregate the city and that failed?

I don't see the segregation as a bad thing, it adds (like in my other thread about it) culture. You can't have so much of a pride of your culture, race, heritage, etc... if your in a mixed community.

However hostility can be decreased (hopefully)... And people should be encouraged to move into neighborhods of other races and cultures.

Look at NYC, China Town, Little Italy, etc... It's like having each part of the world inside your city.

Segregation may be the wrong word since it has bad connotations with it... People automatically think water fountains, bathrooms, buses, barber shops, etc... It's not the same thing for anyone who is confused.

[enough]

the city has poured money into the areas east of troost since at least the 60s (war on poverty, model cities, community development block grant money).  one of the ironies is that as individual households benefitted from these programs they tended to move out rather than stay and help bring the neighborhoods up.

the violence that followed dr. martin luther king's assassination in 1968 was centered in the areas that beccanator toured, and the scars of that violence -- both physical and psychic -- have helped retard redevelopment.

red-lining and block-busting -- real estate agents precipitating a rush to sell by knocking on doors with the rumor that a black family had just moved in to the next block north -- played a part in segregation, as did school attendance area boundaries.  the kansas city star also played a role in the segregation by using troost as one of their boundary streets in want ad listings of for-sale and rental housing.  

probably more factors involved than any one person can enumerate.

an area that goes downhill sometimes has to go pretty far down before property values are low enough to attract "urban pioneers" willing to take the risk.  squier park (troost to paseo, about 35th to 47th, i think) was one of the first to attract such pioneers.

incidentally, i think the claim that 95 percent of blacks live east of troost is a bit exaggerated.  nevertheless, if you rank all census tracts by percent black, you'll still find that most tracts are at the extremes -- e.g., greater than 90 percent or less than 10 percent black -- than in the middle.  kansas city is still a very segregated city.

[Deleted User]

Some of the redevelopment projects focused on were: the 48th Street Alignment between Troost and the Paseo, a collaboration between KCP&L, Gates, UMKC, and KCMO. This will involve the razing of the remaining old red-brick buildings to be replaced by retail stores. The Twin Elms (and Twin Elms II) apartment complexes and some of the zoning challenges faced by developers and rehabbers were also on our list of stops. Dr. Worley enlightened us ....

ugghhh.

Okay, so up to this point this post is rather turbid and long-winded. My point is, however, that after this tour and a chance to discuss it with some of our city officials, it has made the issue of racial and economic segregation in Kansas City more real for me. I had known about the red-lining that occurred in the city as suburban areas began to expand in the 1920s, but the proposition that the Troost corridor, the street that acts as a racial divide in the city (95% of African Americans in KC live east of Troost), was intentional and that the third district intentionally neglected through the allocation of municipal funds (or lack there of), appalls me.

  awwww.... that is sad. I hope you didn't stay after dark! ... crime and lots of it.

How is it that neighborhoods in this district have been allowed to fall into ruin and remain thus for the last thirty years where it has only taken a few years to make drastic improvements in other parts of town?

easy.... crime ( lots of it, everywhere) and really, really, really bad schools.

How is it that most of the improvements in this area must be the result of citizen driven economic development plans?

easy.... people would be wasting their money if they invested there. The only dopes that will invest are those that take your tax dollars and waste them... of course skimming off the top while doing it.

[ReutherMonkey]

  awwww.... that is sad. I hope you didn't stay after dark! ... crime and lots of it.
easy.... crime ( lots of it, everywhere) and really, really, really bad schools.

Do you believe that crime is the sole reason that people have chosen not to invest in the area? I think that the lack of development coupled with the extremely poorly funded schools has kept Kansas City west of Troost the way it is, while funding goes everywhere else. Hell, in brookside they tear up fairly good minimally used residential roads to replace them with really good roads that few (wealthy) people use. Troost south of 47th Street is horrible and i'll be surprised if they ever re-pave that road. The same goes for 47th  Street, 39th Street, etc..

[tat2kc]

I disagree with the charge of underfunded schools. KCMO district recieved well over a billion in additional funding during the court case to improve schools, some were upgraded to the level of elite private schools. The problem was apathic teachers, uninvolved parents, and incompetent school boards. 

Crime is allowed to fester, because the police say they don't have the manpower to patrol the area.  A good example is the corner of Prospect and Independence. Despite the renovations of the streetscape, and the potential for great improvement in the retail sector, nothing is happening. Blatant drug selling, public consumption of alcohol, urinating in the nice new planters. Its been reported to the police, they know what is happening, but their response has been that they don't have the resources to take care of this problem.  What kind of signal does that send?  "We know there is blatant crime in your neighborhood, but we don't have the time or manpower to deal with it. Sorry." WTF? It sends the message that the city cannot manage the criminal element in certain parts of the city. So people give up on stopping it, because the city can't help. Criminals know where they can go and not be hassled. 

Devin, choosing to live in a certain area because of cultural/ethinic ties is different from living in a certain area because you've been banned from other areas.  Its asonishing to me that in 2006, there continiue to be neighborhood covenants that prohibit some people from moving in. Yes, those provisions are unenforceable, but the fact that those provisions STILL have not been removed from the covenants says a lot about the culture that still prevails. 

[voltopt]

and there is a distinct difference between, say, Chinatown in New York and East of Troost in KCMO.
i really think you should take a drive down prospect and walk around at linwood and benton before you start flapping your mouth about the "excitement" and "specialness" of segregated neighbhorhoods in this city.  it does not add to the city - it creates a very specific zone that is obviously different than the other.  look at zillow .com and research houses on harrison, one block west of troost around 59th street, and houses on forest, one block east of troost.  notice how the ones on harrison are about 160k and the ones on forest are about 75k or less.  they are TWO BLOCKS FROM EACH OTHER.  they are the same house... drive through the neighborhood... its true!

[beccanator]

Thank you all for your valuable input and not being "shy" to post on such a sensitive issue in this city.

I too believe that it requires the devotion of a neighborhood's residents to maintain a certain standard, but it also requires the same amount of devotion from they city, equivalent to the amount of attention paid to other parts of the metro.

Interestingly enough, environment plays a significant role in determining people's behavior. Areas that are allowed to become run-down and highly littered play host to frequent occurrences of crime of varying natures, more so than well-kept neighborhoods. The data acquired by Bridging the Gap's annual Litter Index, for instance, is also used by the city government in determining what areas should receive more attention in regard to crime prevention programming, education, etc. More intense clean-up efforts, I believe, could do a great deal of positive things for the third district.

The word "segregation" has a negative connotation because it is a bad thing. It does not add a cultural charm to the city to have each of these cultural groups (Hispanic, Italian, various Asian groups, Serbo-Croatian, African-American, etc.) so far removed from the "rest" of the city because the "rest" of the city does not venture into these neighborhoods in order to learn more about the people in them. I am a proponent of preserving cultural individuality, but not through the distinct and deliberate segregation of a city's people.

[Thrillcekr]

I dunno that I agree about deliberate segregation.  I know people I work with who live in the hood.  Plenty of them.  They make just as much money as I do and could live wherever they wish pretty much but they choose to stay there.  My guess is that they just feel more comfortable living around the people they grew up with.  You can't force people to integrate if they don't want to.  Some others I know who grew up in those same areas left to live in the suburbs so their kids could go to better schools and nobody living in those suburbs has tried to stop them or keep them out of their neighborhood.  That's why I don't buy into the whole schpiel about people of other races trying to keep them out.  Blaming these people's problems on racism when it isn't the case doesn't help them in any way.  That makes about as much sense as it would if you were stomping the hell out of your brakes without being able to stop and then blaming the problem on that piece of shit air filter.

Something else I've seen a lot of in the hood is vehicles like Tahoes and Escalades with rims  on them that are probably worth more than my whole damn car.   If you start adding up what some of these vehicles are worth between just the vehicle and the accessories (alarm, stereo, amp, speakers, rims) then you're talking about a 60,000.00 ride.  Now, if you can afford to have shit like that then you can afford to live elsewhere.  Of course not everyone in those areas has a ride like that but it's certainly not unusual.  All I'm sayin' is that not everything is as it seems.  There are a lot of people living in those areas who aren't necessarily stuck there.  They wanna be there.

When it comes to cleaning up neighborhoods that are ran down I definitely believe extra policing is a good step in the right direction but the citizens of those neighborhoods have to make an effort also.  For instance, people in those areas are often times very uncooperative with the police and when something happens they tell the cops they never saw anything even when they did see something.  If they don't give a crap enough to stand up and say something then you can't expect the cops to get a hell of a lot done for them.  That's why those police officers sometimes appear to be apathetic.  Their hands are tied without help from residents in the neighborhood.  The way the police see it, if the residents don't care then why should they.  People have to have some motivation of their own if they want things to change. 

[Paintfumes]

I dunno that I agree about deliberate segregation.  I know people I work with who live in the hood.  Plenty of them.  They make just as much money as I do and could live wherever they wish pretty much but they choose to stay there.  My guess is that they just feel more comfortable living around the people they grew up with.  You can't force people to integrate if they don't want to.  Some others I know who grew up in those same areas left to live in the suburbs so their kids could go to better schools and nobody living in those suburbs has tried to stop them or keep them out of their neighborhood.  That's why I don't buy into the whole schpiel about people of other races trying to keep them out.  Blaming these people's problems on racism when it isn't the case doesn't help them in any way.  That makes about as much sense as it would if you were stomping the hell out of your brakes without being able to stop and then blaming the problem on that piece of shit air filter.

Something else I've seen a lot of in the hood is vehicles like Tahoes and Escalades with rims  on them that are probably worth more than my whole damn car.   If you start adding up what some of these vehicles are worth between just the vehicle and the accessories (alarm, stereo, amp, speakers, rims) then you're talking about a 60,000.00 ride.  Now, if you can afford to have shit like that then you can afford to live elsewhere.  Of course not everyone in those areas has a ride like that but it's certainly not unusual.  All I'm sayin' is that not everything is as it seems.  There are a lot of people living in those areas who aren't necessarily stuck there.  They wanna be there.

When it comes to cleaning up neighborhoods that are ran down I definitely believe extra policing is a good step in the right direction but the citizens of those neighborhoods have to make an effort also.  People have to have some motivation of their own if they want things to change.  Building strong neighborhood associations guided by knowledgeable people makes a huge difference.   

Wow, that was beautiful.

[UMKCroo]

I too, along with another skyscraper forumer, went on the historic economic development tour beccantor.  The tour was quite fascinating.  I must say that I am continually impressed with the passion and political prowess councilman nash exudes, we need more politicians like this guy.  As he said Troost is not an accident, but rather the result of years of blatent racism and racial tension in this city (On a side note I was flipping through a great book at the plaza library today outlining the race issues of KC from the turn of the century till today, this may give you a clearer picture of the the currrent landscape, I forget the name but it is on display in the KC section.)  However, I think even Mr. Nash would agree that the problem has to some degree been perpetuated from both sides of the troost corridor.  While blacks may have been strategically moved east of troost, the area has fell into such disrepair that people simply dont care anymore.  This to me is the most discouraging issue, the incentives needed to get developers and residents to take interest simply dont exist.  All of the little projects we toured are a mere drop in the bucket in contrast to what is needed in order for the east sides stigma to change.  The reason downtown is booming is because everyones interests are in line......developers, residents, city hall.  A great outcome of capitalism.  On the other side of the capitalism coin quite the opposite can be said for the east side, and unfortunately I see any real change over there near impossible.  Its horribly unfair, and aggregiously racist but none of the above mentioned parties care most importantly city hall.

Yes, Kansas City is alarmingly segregated, but this issue is seen in almost every major city in the country.  Its not a KC issue, its a problem deeply embedded in our society.

[nota]

I dunno that I agree about deliberate segregation.  I know people I work with who live in the hood.  Plenty of them.  They make just as much money as I do and could live wherever they wish pretty much but they choose to stay there.  My guess is that they just feel more comfortable living around the people they grew up with.  You can't force people to integrate if they don't want to.  Some others I know who grew up in those same areas left to live in the suburbs so their kids could go to better schools and nobody living in those suburbs has tried to stop them or keep them out of their neighborhood.  That's why I don't buy into the whole schpiel about people of other races trying to keep them out.  Blaming these people's problems on racism when it isn't the case doesn't help them in any way.  That makes about as much sense as it would if you were stomping the hell out of your brakes without being able to stop and then blaming the problem on that piece of shit air filter.

Something else I've seen a lot of in the hood is vehicles like Tahoes and Escalades with rims  on them that are probably worth more than my whole damn car.   If you start adding up what some of these vehicles are worth between just the vehicle and the accessories (alarm, stereo, amp, speakers, rims) then you're talking about a 60,000.00 ride.  Now, if you can afford to have shit like that then you can afford to live elsewhere.  Of course not everyone in those areas has a ride like that but it's certainly not unusual.  All I'm sayin' is that not everything is as it seems.  There are a lot of people living in those areas who aren't necessarily stuck there.  They wanna be there.

When it comes to cleaning up neighborhoods that are ran down I definitely believe extra policing is a good step in the right direction but the citizens of those neighborhoods have to make an effort also.  For instance, people in those areas are often times very uncooperative with the police and when something happens they tell the cops they never saw anything even when they did see something.  If they don't give a crap enough to stand up and say something then you can't expect the cops to get a hell of a lot done for them.  That's why those police officers sometimes appear to be apathetic.  Their hands are tied without help from residents in the neighborhood.  The way the police see it, if the residents don't care then why should they.  People have to have some motivation of their own if they want things to change. 

Good post and right on the money as far as your first two paragraphs.

As for the third, my neighborhood is living proof of how getting involved with crime fighting in your neighborhood can help the situation. We have formed a Neighborhood Watch here in our neighborhood. There have been several vandalism cases and a couple of breakins in parked cars. As crime goes, not really big time, but a pain in the butt nonetheless. Before the neighborhood watch, one person might see something happen and call the cops and they would come out and look around but never find who did it. Now, when something happens, they can track the crook from house to house with everyone calling the police. Last week, some kids broke into a car and stole some stuff. The cops were able to track the kids from house to house as they were running and hiding and each house called the cops. The KC helicopter came and helped track them down as well. Everyone signed a complaint as they are supposed to do if they report a crime and the kids are in the process of being prosecuted.

We also have a cell phone text network that we use when something happens where one person can text a message and broadcast it to all cellphones who have signed on. It has worked great.

But had we just sat there and said we didnt' see a thing, there would still be this kind of stuff.

[chrizow]

1.  it is absolutely true that many people choose to remain in "the hood," though i really doubt that rational, middle-class people are choosing to live in the most devastated areas of town.  i think that Thrill and others might be mistaking "east of troost" as "the ghetto."  believe it or not, the east side of KC is not a homogenous, monolithic ghetto.  it is diverse unto itself.  it isn't 33rd and Benton all around.  there are some very stable neighborhoods in the african-american community, where families have lived on the same block for generations, not unlike the "white" middle class hoods like Waldo or whatever.  the property values might be lower, but not every 'hood is a warzone.  few are.

2.  it's true that many in the "hood" (cough cough) live in $500/month rental houses while driving a $50,000 Escalade or Cadillac.  it's true that this is fiscally irresponsible.  however, this is the same no matter where you go.  white folks making $10/hour often put a ton of money into their pickup trucks, SUVs, low-riders, whatever as well, which is equally irresponsible.  i knew kids in high school that were working at hy-vee just to pay for their rims.  the presence of these rides is no indicator of wealth or an indicator that these people "want" to live in bad neighborhoods.  these baubles are merely meant to be fun or an illusion of wealth that gains them respect or admiration from their peer group.  this is the same no matter if you're at 43rd and Prospect in KCMO or 79th and Quivira or in Independence or in Warrensburg. 

3.  i agree that it is unfortunate that many people in african-american neighborhoods do not cooperate with the police, especially with violent crimes...but unfortunately you are not taking into account the firmly entrenched "us against them" mentality many african-americans have against the police - for good reason.  over the decades, and continuing today, the police basically harass residents in african-american neighborhoods.  in Nota's hood, the police are a welcome presence.  in the 'hood, the police are seen as a slightly more benevolent enemy.  many KCPD are great and do their job well, but many just reinforce this antagonistic relationship.  this is an issue that needs to be addressed by both sides.

[Thaine]

I agree with Chrizow, but would add a few minor points:

Many middle to upper class African Americans that I know live East of Troost because they'd be seen as sell outs or something if they moved into the middle of what's perceived as a white neighborhood.  Admittedly, most of those I know are politicians or have political jobs.

Troost was always the dividing line because that's how the KC Star partitioned the classified ads for houses.  It was, East of Troost or West of Troost for decades.  Bob Woods and some other realtors had that changed in the mid-80's?.

[Highlander]

2.  it's true that many in the "hood" (cough cough) live in $500/month rental houses while driving a $50,000 Escalade or Cadillac.  it's true that this is fiscally irresponsible.  however, this is the same no matter where you go.  white folks making $10/hour often put a ton of money into their pickup trucks, SUVs, low-riders, whatever as well, which is equally irresponsible.  i knew kids in high school that were working at hy-vee just to pay for their rims.  the presence of these rides is no indicator of wealth or an indicator that these people "want" to live in bad neighborhoods.  these baubles are merely meant to be fun or an illusion of wealth that gains them respect or admiration from their peer group.  this is the same no matter if you're at 43rd and Prospect in KCMO or 79th and Quivira or in Independence or in Warrensburg. 

If you're lower middle class, you are not going to gain much social status from your house because you cannot afford a particularly nice home;  What you may be able to afford, however, is an expensive car and therein lies one of the reasons you see this phenonemon.  Your paying what you can afford, even if it stretches you, for social class.  Same things goes for upper middle class neighborhoods; there, people are still willing to overextend themselves but the status symbol is the house not the car (because in this social class, nice homes become "affordable").  If you're really poor, you cannot afford a nice house or even a  car so you put your status in an even lower tier status symbol: clothing.  A bit oversimplified but I think there is some truth to this. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

Same things goes for upper middle class neighborhoods; there, people are still willing to overextend themselves but the status symbol is the house not the car (because in this social class, nice homes become "affordable"). 

 

Spot on.  Having grown up in Johnson County, I have had plenty of experiences visiting people's 2,500+ sq ft luxury homes, only to go inside and find it sparsley and/or shabily furnished.  You walk in and see the massive great room with two-story vaulted ceiling and there's the papasan chair, fouton, and 13 in TV, maybe a plastic patio chair or two thrown in for good measure.  Overextension is definitely not a class specific problem. 

[zlohban]

Just for clarification and because I don't have any idea......

what household income amounts would be considered lower, lower middle, middle, upper middle, etc...?

In this area.

[Thrillcekr]

1.  it is absolutely true that many people choose to remain in "the hood," though i really doubt that rational, middle-class people are choosing to live in the most devastated areas of town.  i think that Thrill and others might be mistaking "east of troost" as "the ghetto."  believe it or not, the east side of KC is not a homogenous, monolithic ghetto.  it is diverse unto itself.  it isn't 33rd and Benton all around.  there are some very stable neighborhoods in the african-american community, where families have lived on the same block for generations, not unlike the "white" middle class hoods like Waldo or whatever.  the property values might be lower, but not every 'hood is a warzone.  few are.

2.  it's true that many in the "hood" (cough cough) live in $500/month rental houses while driving a $50,000 Escalade or Cadillac.  it's true that this is fiscally irresponsible.  however, this is the same no matter where you go.  white folks making $10/hour often put a ton of money into their pickup trucks, SUVs, low-riders, whatever as well, which is equally irresponsible.  i knew kids in high school that were working at hy-vee just to pay for their rims.  the presence of these rides is no indicator of wealth or an indicator that these people "want" to live in bad neighborhoods.  these baubles are merely meant to be fun or an illusion of wealth that gains them respect or admiration from their peer group.  this is the same no matter if you're at 43rd and Prospect in KCMO or 79th and Quivira or in Independence or in Warrensburg. 

3.  i agree that it is unfortunate that many people in african-american neighborhoods do not cooperate with the police, especially with violent crimes...but unfortunately you are not taking into account the firmly entrenched "us against them" mentality many african-americans have against the police - for good reason.  over the decades, and continuing today, the police basically harass residents in african-american neighborhoods.  in Nota's hood, the police are a welcome presence.  in the 'hood, the police are seen as a slightly more benevolent enemy.  many KCPD are great and do their job well, but many just reinforce this antagonistic relationship.  this is an issue that needs to be addressed by both sides.

1.  No.  I'm not mistaking anything.  I spent a great deal of time in the "hood" (as the people who actually live there call it) at one time because of my job back when you were probably perched in front of a television watching Power Rangers or whatever.  Since you've probably lived with mommy and daddy or in a dorm for all of your young life so far, and are most likely speaking from second and third hand information rather than actual experience, I'll take your "disbelief" with a grain of salt. 

2. Doesn't matter.  No one will debate that fiscal responsibility is everywhere.  The point is, that if you can afford those things then you can afford to live in a more stable and safer environment.  The payment on some of those vehicles combined with the likely credit card bills for the accessories is often times easily enough to make a payment on a decent home in a good neighborhood.  Whites, blacks, and people of every race in between sacrifice the Escalade and rims to live outside of the ghetto or the trailerpark.  It's a choice. I used to have a very low income but I never had to live in those areas because I sacrificed material things and worked two and three jobs just to make damn sure I didn't have to so the sob stories don't carry a lot of weight with me.

Also, if you knew somebody making 10 dollars an hour at Hy-Vee and they had a high dollar ride and rims then they were probably people your own age living with their parents.  That makes a difference.  Otherwise, they'd be doing good just to get the rent paid.  Even in the ghetto.  You'll find that out when you get out in the real world and start paying your own bills.

3.  I doubt you've actually had much experience at a crime scene in the "hood" or dealing with some of these characters so let me break it down for ya.  The instances of the police actually "abusing" anyone in these areas are few and far between and occur no more than they do in any other neighborhood in the city when somebody insists on fighting the police.  Resistance rather than cooperation is almost always the precursor that leads to any use of force by the police whether it falls within the use of force continuum or a tort.

I can remember one time when I was a security officer actually have to draw a freaking handgun on a lady and some of her gang of merry morons simply because she didn't wanna comply with a property owner's policy of not parking in areas of his lot that were clearly marked as "no parking".  I politely asked the lady to move her vehicle to one of the many open parking spots and she said "I'll just be a few minutes".  I said "No ma'am, you need to move your vehicle."  That's when the shit hit the fan and next thing ya know I'm surrounded by her friends all shouting at me and closing in on me just because this lady was too damn lazy to walk an extra thirty feet.  Of course, it didn't matter that she started all of this or that I was just doing my job.  I was a racist honkey who was harassing this poor lady.  That's the story she told even though it didn't have a damn thing to do with me being a racist.  It had to do with her being an asshole. 

This type of shit is not unusual.  In fact, it's pretty much defacto treatment for anyone wearing a badge.  That's the sort of crap they deal with day in and day out on the job. Completely freakin' irrational.  Rather than people in that community standing behind the police they'll stand behind the idiot whose acting like a fuckin' fool and that's why things are the way they are.  Are there racist white cops out there running around?  Sure, just like there are racist blacks, hispanics, jews etc..  It's not that common though.  It's a whole lot more common for people who resent their authority to falsely spew those accusations out to divert attention from their own actions than to find an actual case of true racism and abuse on the part of a law enforcement officer.  Until people living in these communities decide that this type of behavior in regards to how their neighbors treat the police and stop losing sight of the real issue (crime) then they can keep looking forward to more of the same.

[chrizow]

1.  No.  I'm not mistaking anything.  I spent a great deal of time in the "hood" (as the people who actually live there call it) at one time because of my job back when you were probably perched in front of a television watching Power Rangers or whatever.  Since you've basically lived with mommy and daddy or in a dorm, and are most likely speaking from second and third hand information rather than actual experience, I'll take your "disbelief" with a grain of salt. 

2. Doesn't matter.  No one will debate that fiscal responsibility is everywhere.  The point is, that if you can afford those things then you can afford to live in a more stable and safer environment.  The payment on some of those vehicles combined with the likely credit card bills for the accessories is often times easily enough to make a payment on a decent home in a good neighborhood.  Whites, blacks, and people of every race in between sacrifice the Escalade and rims to live outside of the ghetto or the trailerpark.  It's a choice. I used to have a very low income but I never had to live in those areas because I sacrificed material things and worked two and three jobs just to make damn sure I didn't have to so the sob stories don't carry a lot of weight with me.

Also, if you knew somebody making 10 dollars an hour at Hy-Vee and they had a high dollar ride and rims then they were probably people your own age living with their parents.  That makes a difference.  Otherwise, they'd be doing good just to get the rent paid.  Even in the ghetto.  You'll find that out when you get out in the real world and start paying your own bills.

3.  I doubt you've actually had much experience at a crime scene in the "hood" or dealing with some of these characters so let me break it down for ya.  The instances of the police actually "abusing" anyone in these areas are few and far between and occur no more than they do in any other neighborhood in the city when somebody insists on fighting the police.  Resistance rather than cooperation is almost always the precursor that leads to any use of force by the police whether it falls within the use of force continuum or a tort.

I can remember one time when I was a security officer actually have to draw a freaking handgun on a lady and some of her gang of merry morons simply because she didn't wanna comply with a property owner's policy of not parking in areas of his lot that were clearly marked as "no parking".  I politely asked the lady to move her vehicle to one of the many open parking spots and she said "I'll just be a few minutes".  I said "No ma'am, you need to move your vehicle."  That's when the shit hit the fan and next thing ya know I'm surrounded by her friends all shouting at me and closing in on me just because this lady was too damn lazy to walk an extra thirty feet.  Of course, it didn't matter that she started all of this or that I was just doing my job.  I was a racist honkey who was harassing this poor lady.  That's the story she told even though it didn't have a damn thing to do with me being a racist.  It had to do with her being an asshole. 

This type of shit is not unusual.  In fact, it's pretty much defacto treatment for anyone wearing a badge.  That's the sort of crap they deal with day in and day out on the job. Completely freakin' irrational.  Rather than people in that community standing behind the police they'll stand behind the idiot whose acting like a fuckin' fool and that's why things are the way they are.  Are there racist white cops out there running around?  Sure, just like there are racist blacks, hispanics, jews etc..  It's not that common though.  It's a whole lot more common for people who resent their authority to falsely spew those accusations out to divert attention from their own actions than to find an actual case of true racism and abuse on the part of a law enforcement officer.  Until people living in these communities decide that this type of behavior in regards to how their neighbors treat the police and stop losing sight of the real issue (crime) then they can keep looking forward to more of the same.

my youth is not an excuse for your generalizations.  i too have spent time in "the hood" (i have family who lived around 24th and Brooklyn until about 3 years ago, as well as various spots around Blue Hills, Eastwood, and the east parts of Troostwood).  further, many of my friends and acquaintances in the raytown school district came from bad areas of town, had tons of family/friends in the bad and good parts of the African-American 'hoods in KCMO, and/or were bona fide gangsters themselves.  i would dare to say that i have a better grasp of the 18-30 y/o population than you do, 'hood or no hood.

that said, i doubt either one of us have particularly enviable ghetto credentials.  the fact i am not a homeowner and have recently lived in a dorm is nothing more than a personal attack on your part.  so thanks for that.

i agree that no one, black/white/whatever, should pour all their money into a vehicle instead of trying to build a better life for themselves and their family.  i would also posit, however, that your singling out this phenomenon as quality evidence that people in the "hood" can frequently afford to get out is bogus.  most people in poor communities do not drive Escalades.  the ones that do drive "pimped" rides frequently put those rides together for about 1/4 what you think it should cost them.  the young guys that actually drive $60,000 rides probably paid for them via illicit means, so their vehicle of choice is the least of our concerns about them.

i have no doubt that your tenure as a grizzly security guard exposed you to some dicey characters.  i also have no doubt that there are plenty of complete moron losers in KCMO that have no respect for anyone and commit crimes.  my lack of experience with a "crime scene" is completely irrelevant, since my complaint about KCPD behavior has little or nothing to do with responding to crimes.  if you lived in those hoods or knew anyone that lived in those hoods, you would know that many of those people have either personally dealt with police harassment, accusations, and illegal detainment, or have a family member or friend that has.  keep in mind that this mentality goes back to at least the 1950s.  this attitude toward the police exists, whether you choose to think it is valid or not.  i am 100% in favor of people taking responsibility for their own actions, criminal or otherwise.  in poor communities, however, you'll find that people that have not engaged in criminal behavior also have run-ins with the police.  racial profiling is a HUGE problem in every city in america, KC included.  to believe otherwise is to deny mountains of empirical evidence, often compiled (as required by federal law) by the law enforcement authorities themselves.  it has less to do with overt racism than entrenched, unspoken biases. 

people in disadvantaged communities should cooperate with the police more.  the "i won't be a snitch" mentality is absurd.  but that isn't the whole story.