KCPD Crime Data

[shinatoo]

We are only 2 behind 2020 and homicides sky rocket in the summer. I get it this fourm really wants to sweep crime under the rug

I don't think you understand what "year to date" means.

I can do snark too.

Or snark.

[FangKC]

Any downward trend is good news.

There is a saying: "Some people are determined not to be pleased with good news."

[Metro]

Any downward trend is good news.

There is a saying: "Some people are determined not to be pleased with good news."

There were several shootings yesterday. This was your pathetic attempt to pretend crime isn't an issue many of you had done it for years until it became undeniable in 2020.

[KCPowercat]

Nobody has posted anything close to saying crime isn't an issue in KC. Excited for a down trend in data doesn't mean anybody thinks its solved.

[langosta]

Any early reviews of the Jackson County candidates? I read that the assistant prosecutor is running on the anti-petty and violent crime agenda.

https://fox4kc.com/politics/your-local- ... cutor/amp/

[FangKC]

I've already received a flyer in the mail for Gromowsky.

[KCPowercat]

Seems like a lot of downtown, especially crossroads, businesses are being broke into lately. Businesses that you wouldn't think as a "sane criminal" would have a lot to steal once you are inside. Not sure what the answer is, it almost feels like it's not mentally stable individual involved but that's just a guess, and I know KCPD is "too busy" to respond to any crime, so how do we protect our urban core small busineses?

[beautyfromashes]

Seems like a lot of downtown, especially crossroads, businesses are being broke into lately. Businesses that you wouldn't think as a "sane criminal" would have a lot to steal once you are inside. Not sure what the answer is, it almost feels like it's not mentally stable individual involved but that's just a guess, and I know KCPD is "too busy" to respond to any crime, so how do we protect our urban core small busineses?

Homelessness is rampant and getting worse in the core. I've seen no real solution or even talk about trying to fix it from representatives. Progressives seem to have a view that living houseless should be a right and we should allow it to continue, that living in public park space or under bridges is their given choice. Traditional liberals would say this is reckless and that we should be providing and demanding drug treatment, mental health care, housing options and removal of outside living. To me, the latter seems uncaring and ultra-idealistic fantasy. It's only going to get worse and crime like you mention will likely increase.

[TheLastGentleman]

Seems like a lot of downtown, especially crossroads, businesses are being broke into lately. Businesses that you wouldn't think as a "sane criminal" would have a lot to steal once you are inside. Not sure what the answer is, it almost feels like it's not mentally stable individual involved but that's just a guess, and I know KCPD is "too busy" to respond to any crime, so how do we protect our urban core small busineses?

Homelessness is rampant and getting worse in the core. I've seen no real solution or even talk about trying to fix it from representatives. Progressives seem to have a view that living houseless should be a right and we should allow it to continue, that living in public park space or under bridges is their given choice. Traditional liberals would say this is reckless and that we should be providing and demanding drug treatment, mental health care, housing options and removal of outside living. To me, the latter seems uncaring and ultra-idealistic fantasy. It's only going to get worse and crime like you mention will likely increase.

I swear half of it is people taking some sort of sick delight in seeing homeless people. I swear most of the people at my work run up to the window to watch if a homeless person walks through our parking lot. They loooove making fun of them and are fascinated by them. And a good chunk of these people are conservative or even liberal on paper. Absolutely freakish behavior

[Metro]

Johnson will win and nothing will change

[KCPowercat]

Seems like a lot of downtown, especially crossroads, businesses are being broke into lately. Businesses that you wouldn't think as a "sane criminal" would have a lot to steal once you are inside. Not sure what the answer is, it almost feels like it's not mentally stable individual involved but that's just a guess, and I know KCPD is "too busy" to respond to any crime, so how do we protect our urban core small busineses?

Homelessness is rampant and getting worse in the core. I've seen no real solution or even talk about trying to fix it from representatives. Progressives seem to have a view that living houseless should be a right and we should allow it to continue, that living in public park space or under bridges is their given choice. Traditional liberals would say this is reckless and that we should be providing and demanding drug treatment, mental health care, housing options and removal of outside living. To me, the latter seems uncaring and ultra-idealistic fantasy. It's only going to get worse and crime like you mention will likely increase.

Yeah I have no idea if there is a common thread or not, just seems odd things like a little brewery get broke into. There is nothing to nab in there.

As it goes with the homeless, I'm sure we can do more as a city, but isn't it true many homeless don't want to use the city services due to various restrictions put on them? Valid ones?

I'm not sure charging everybody charged with B&E with 10 years in jail is the answer either.

[im2kull]

...so how do we protect our urban core small busineses?

Put criminals in Jail?

Yeah I have no idea if there is a common thread or not, just seems odd things like a little brewery get broke into. There is nothing to nab in there.

It's not about stealing stuff within these businesses. It's about simply vandalizing them and having fun. Same with the cars. Destructive individuals doing destructive things because there's no repercussions of doing so. It's not rocket science. We see it in nature. Humans are no exception. Would you still pay a water bill if you didn't have to? Would you come to a complete stop at every stop sign if you didn't have to?

https://fb.watch/sovXUrWAKY/

[FangKC]

Seems like a lot of downtown, especially crossroads, businesses are being broke into lately. Businesses that you wouldn't think as a "sane criminal" would have a lot to steal once you are inside. Not sure what the answer is, it almost feels like it's not mentally stable individual involved but that's just a guess, and I know KCPD is "too busy" to respond to any crime, so how do we protect our urban core small busineses?

Homelessness is rampant and getting worse in the core. I've seen no real solution or even talk about trying to fix it from representatives. Progressives seem to have a view that living houseless should be a right and we should allow it to continue, that living in public park space or under bridges is their given choice. Traditional liberals would say this is reckless and that we should be providing and demanding drug treatment, mental health care, housing options and removal of outside living. To me, the latter seems uncaring and ultra-idealistic fantasy. It's only going to get worse and crime like you mention will likely increase.

Yeah I have no idea if there is a common thread or not, just seems odd things like a little brewery get broke into. There is nothing to nab in there.

As it goes with the homeless, I'm sure we can do more as a city, but isn't it true many homeless don't want to use the city services due to various restrictions put on them? Valid ones?

I'm not sure charging everybody charged with B&E with 10 years in jail is the answer either.

One can't put the homeless in jail simply because we don't have enough room in the local jails and we need that space for violent criminals. It's a bad policy to criminalize homelessness because it doesn't solve the problem.

New York had a big homeless problem in the early 1990s. There is a way to deal with it. The City and State have to work together to provide resources for housing and mental health services. It worked. I saw the change with my own eyes over 10 years there. You have to have leaders with the will to do it. We don't have that here. Do you think Gov. Parson wants to help fund this effort? The Missouri Legislature? NO.

It's not just a Kansas City problem. St. Louis has a homeless problem. The reason it's a state problem is because smaller towns and cities don't have adequate facilities and funding so their homeless end up in larger cities. Several years ago, the Salvation Army in St. Joseph shut down the general homeless shelter to focus on only providing shelter to families. That meant single homeless people had no facility and many of them were sent down to Kansas City on the bus.

Granted, the housing crisis has forced some people out of their previous housing because of rent increases and they haven't found affordable alternative housing--often sleeping in their cars if they have one.

The other issue is what unemployed homeless people should do during the day. Most shelters require them to leave between certain hours, and then they compete for beds when the shelter reopens. Most unemployed homeless are mentally ill and likely have trouble securing and holding a job. They essentially wander the streets until they can return to the shelter.

This is why they need some type of housing other than an emergency housing situation (shelter).

[langosta]

Missouri is spending $300 million on the mental hospital at UMKC (or close to that amount)

[Metro]

Homelessness is rampant and getting worse in the core. I've seen no real solution or even talk about trying to fix it from representatives. Progressives seem to have a view that living houseless should be a right and we should allow it to continue, that living in public park space or under bridges is their given choice. Traditional liberals would say this is reckless and that we should be providing and demanding drug treatment, mental health care, housing options and removal of outside living. To me, the latter seems uncaring and ultra-idealistic fantasy. It's only going to get worse and crime like you mention will likely increase.

Yeah I have no idea if there is a common thread or not, just seems odd things like a little brewery get broke into. There is nothing to nab in there.

As it goes with the homeless, I'm sure we can do more as a city, but isn't it true many homeless don't want to use the city services due to various restrictions put on them? Valid ones?

I'm not sure charging everybody charged with B&E with 10 years in jail is the answer either.

One can't put the homeless in jail simply because we don't have enough room in the local jails and we need that space for violent criminals. It's a bad policy to criminalize homelessness because it doesn't solve the problem.

New York had a big homeless problem in the early 1990s. There is a way to deal with it. The City and State have to work together to provide resources for housing and mental health services. It worked. I saw the change with my own eyes over 10 years there. You have to have leaders with the will to do it. We don't have that here. Do you think Gov. Parson wants to help fund this effort? The Missouri Legislature? NO.

It's not just a Kansas City problem. St. Louis has a homeless problem. The reason it's a state problem is because smaller towns and cities don't have adequate facilities and funding so their homeless end up in larger cities. Several years ago, the Salvation Army in St. Joseph shut down the general homeless shelter to focus on only providing shelter to families. That meant single homeless people had no facility and many of them were sent down to Kansas City on the bus.

Granted, the housing crisis has forced some people out of their previous housing because of rent increases and they haven't found affordable alternative housing--often sleeping in their cars if they have one.

The other issue is what unemployed homeless people should do during the day. Most shelters require them to leave between certain hours, and then they compete for beds when the shelter reopens. Most unemployed homeless are mentally ill and likely have trouble securing and holding a job. They essentially wander the streets until they can return to the shelter.

This is why they need some type of housing other than an emergency housing situation (shelter).

Doesn't matter if they are homeless if they are committing crimes they need to be charged.

[Chris Stritzel]

Mayor is saying that homicides are down 22% from last year and 15% across the average of the past 5 years.

From the Daily Homicide Analysis from the KCPD Website. Numbers are year-to-date:
- 2024: 60
- 2023: 77
- 2022: 67
- 2021: 63
- 2020: 76

https://x.com/quintonlucaskc/status/179 ... 27916?s=46

[KCPowercat]

Honestly murders aren't the crimes that end up driving out residents, it's all the other crimes. Murders are rarely random and people tend to disassociate themselves from those crimes but break ins, car theft, stealing, mugging, even all the dumb street racing is what ends up making people want to leave.

[Chris Stritzel]

Honestly murders aren't the crimes that end up driving out residents, it's all the other crimes. Murders are rarely random and people tend to disassociate themselves from those crimes but break ins, car theft, stealing, mugging, even all the dumb street racing is what ends up making people want to leave.

Absolutely agree. I’m curious to know how those other crimes are doing relative to previous years.

But the homicide statistics are the most outward facing indicator to those who don’t live in Kansas City. It’s why cities like Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and others are always referred to as “Murder Capitals”. If the homicide number decreases, so does our standing to those outside. In other words, our image is improved.

[KCPowercat]

For sure it's great to see them going down.

[Highlander]

Honestly murders aren't the crimes that end up driving out residents, it's all the other crimes. Murders are rarely random and people tend to disassociate themselves from those crimes but break ins, car theft, stealing, mugging, even all the dumb street racing is what ends up making people want to leave.

Absolutely agree. I’m curious to know how those other crimes are doing relative to previous years.

But the homicide statistics are the most outward facing indicator to those who don’t live in Kansas City. It’s why cities like Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and others are always referred to as “Murder Capitals”. If the homicide number decreases, so does our standing to those outside. In other words, our image is improved.

Not to sound callous or a downer regarding what could be good news but one of the primary reasons murder stats go down inexplicably in any given year after years of high murder rates is that the pool of likely victims and perps has been significantly reduced from the activity of the previous years. That's especially true when murder is concentrated in a few zip codes where some of the more recent victims were also the perps in earlier murders. Like someone said, most are not random events. I'd want to wait to see if we have a downward trend but the conditions that produce higher murder rates have not changed so I suspect we are seeing a statistical adjustment.