AN IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR KANSAS CITY: IS MAYOR SLY JAMES SOFT ON CRIME AND SUPPORT FOR THE KCPD?!?!?
For the past few years August has typically been one of Kansas City's Deadliest months and the tipping point that has led to 100+ annual homicide tallies.
At the outset of this month and with the selection of a new Kansas City Police Department Chief coming up . . . Local law enforcement looks to be this town's biggest priority.
And on this subject of local violence and the KCPD Mayor Sly James and been noticeably silent and not quite supportive, respectively.
Meanwhile, in the absence of leadership from the Mayor there have been a few elected officials who have stepped up to offer political leadership in an effort to curb Kansas City violence.
MO District 40 Rep. was instrumental in bringing police foot patrols to The Northeast.
Councilwoman Melba Curls has spearheaded a Gun Bounty Program that hopes to build community cooperation with police.
After a bit of contemplation, Councilman Jermaine Reed parted ways with campaign donors and spoke out against a controversial liquor store license exemption that neighbors felt would endanger the surrounding community.
MEANWHILE, MAYOR SLY JAMES HAS BEEN ABSENT FROM A DISCUSSION ABOUT KANSAS CITY VIOLENT CRIME AND THE HOMICIDE RATE!!!
Even worse, he seems to have ALREADY backtracked on campaign talking points regarding local crime.
Mayor Sly gave up on "Shotspotter" technology because it was simply too expensive. TKC NOTE: That's probably a good thing because it was just an expensive gadget and wouldn't have really helped. Nevertheless he did tout the tech on the campaign trail but abandoned without a fight after his victory.
During the campaign Mayor Sly James was FRONT AND CENTER regarding violence on the Plaza and even showed up to patrol the streets of the luxury shopping district . . . Now he hasn't really been an active participant in the discussion.
Also while campaigning Mayor Sly James spoke of economic development as a way to thwart violence and murder but so far most of his work on that front hasn't been focused on problem areas. Mayor Sly has achieved major victories with Google Fiber and the The Fight Against Kansas Biz Poaching but those efforts fall under traditional biz development and typically don't help the urban core.
Finally, on the subject of pensions and health insurance for the Kansas City Police Department . . . Mayor Sly James has been far less accommodating to local law enforcement than he has to the membership of Local 42. Mayor Sly seems to want police on the city's crappy insurance . . . And none of us expect the pension reform that's sweeping the nation to start with the Fire Department and Local 42 given their status as top campaign patrons.
Politics aside, there's an open question of leadership in the fight agaisnt local violence and murder for Mayor Sly James. So far, other local elected officials have put forth efforts to curb this horrific and tragic Kansas City dilemma. Now, during a historically violent month in this town, we're still waiting to hear from Mayor Sly James.
He's only been in office a few months.
ReplyDeleteI think the Mayor is right-on about consolidating City Services and health & benefit plans. Most other cities did this years ago. KCMO is just behind the times.
ReplyDeleteMiss the Funk yet?
ReplyDeleteTony why do you keep pretending John Rizzo was instrumental in bringing the KCPD to Northeast when emails say otherwise?
ReplyDeleteMost politicians who cater to the poverty pimps talk about "creating jobs" to fight crime. It may be a chicken or the egg thing but I do know you can significantly reduce crime with effective policing but you cannot bring jobs to a crime ridden area. Therefore the focus must be on reducing crime by force, not by "creating jobs". After crime is significantly reduced jobs will naturaly occur.
ReplyDeleteTony, this is just retarded. Yeah, the mayor wants more crime. Never mind that the mayor isn't a "crime fighter." We have police for that.
ReplyDeleteYou need to sit in on some citizenship classes because you don't know a damn thing about the branches of government. It's quite obvious.
Black people, quit killing each other.
ReplyDeleteSly's been busy cheerleading the 2012 All Star Game, which maybe 5 KC residents will be able to afford.
ReplyDeleteHeck they'll probably even fuck over the ticket-takers and not let them in to watch, like they just did at Camarohead.
Crime is KCMO's biggest problem, and one of the lowest priorities at City Hall.
ReplyDeleteI realize the city doesn't control the police department, but the mayor sits on the police board and he has the "bully pulpit."
He should use what power he has.
Shhh... our little habanero is pretending to be Walter Cronkite again. Leave him alone and in a few minutes he'll think he's Pancho Villa.
ReplyDeleteThere is no mention in this discussion of current crime rate that illustrates it as the most pressing problem.
ReplyDeleteEconomic growth can keep crime down, but there is no economic growth. The "job creators" are sitting on their money. Quality education can keep crime down, but we know that does not exist in KCMSD.
Funds can be saved with consolidating health and other benefits because of larger pools of people bring down insurance costs - spread the risk more and could result in benefit upgrades for all, not just the police and firefighters.
Get off his ass, Tony. Let him do what citys are supposed to do... provide city services.
ReplyDeleteIF citizens want to kill each other, the mayor's only responsibility is to have the cops order sanitary pickup and be done with it.
Remember, we want life, libery and the pursuit of happiness. Or NOT! ITs citizens choice who to hang with. If they dont want to use the county prosecutor system, let them mete out their OWN justice.
Govt needs to stay the hell out of it! Besides, its cheaper.
Radio Man - Set down your beer and slowly back away from the keyboard!!! "...we want life, libery and the pursuit of happiness." - LIBERTY?!? LOL
ReplyDeleteI like the Mayor's approach to consolidating City Services. This is a good approach to cutting cost, consolidating redundant systems, and getting the "KC" back into KCPD.
ReplyDeleteLet's get this city control of the Police Dept. issue resolved right now, I want my police department to be run as well as the Parks, Water, Public Works ........... Oh! Never mind.
ReplyDelete"run as well as" like what?
ReplyDeleteLike it is now?
They can't even get an annual report completed.
9:07: Nice talk, but where's the beef?
ReplyDeleteAre we really so retarded that we need the mayor to tell us he is against crime?
Why the concern about the annual report? Has anyone else out there ever read a police department annual report? If so, tell me what you found so vitally important that this deserves so much complaining about!
ReplyDeleteOh 10:46, gimme a break. Let the city do what it does best... providing city services.
ReplyDeleteToo much about crime has to do with cultural/demographic issues beyond the control of a city government.
CODE: High prominence of urban blacks - high crime. So have an efficient cleanup police department but dont' expect that demographic to somehow change its morality based on what government does. Just be glad this isn't Afganistan. That cesspool should help explain why government can't clean up a culture.
So again, get off the Mayor's ass...he can't clean up the crime anymore than the president of Afghanistan can!
LEt it go. IF blacks want to stop the carnage, then they have the power to do it because every black murderer has a mother and a group of friends! They have vastly more influence on a potential murderer than a goddam mayor does.
So back the fuque off and get real!
radio man you make no sense.
ReplyDeleteMy bike ride to work revealed more details of why we are so screwed. The slapdash job to "fix" the roads here with stimulus money is already falling apart; the local government used a cheapo "cold seal" process that lasts, tops, 5 years. Potholes are coming back with a vengeance.
ReplyDeleteAs I rode along, stroller mommies were out, some on the phone or texting, while walking the dog AND pushing around junior. It's the most bizarre thing since those "one-man band" acts that used to be on TV variety shows. Some mommies have twins and TWO dogs tethered to them. I am surprised they don't have two phones going, too.
No, he's just soft on shooters.
ReplyDelete12:21, how about cutting and pasting your comment a few dozen more times per day. Try writing something original. Your "one man band" comment isn't nearly as impressive as you believe.
ReplyDelete12:21: Just be glas they're walking, not driving!
ReplyDeleteWhy the concern about the annual report?
ReplyDeleteAny organization that has any credibility puts out an annual report. They're published for accountability of budget expenditures, etc. Annual reports require certain information by law. For example : "Missouri law enforcement officials are required by state law to report certain information on all traffic stops conducted in the state. Information for the 2009 annual report was due to the Attorney Generals' Office by March 1, 2010." This would be the one type of information found in an annual report. Other information would be salaries, overall crime statistics, expenditures on assets, vehicles etc. Basically it's an accountability tool.
Your right though, no one will probably read an unpublished report.
8/3/11 12:27 PM
ReplyDeletegood one.
12:17, get off my ass. Fact is, you wouldn't get sense if it hit you in the nose. go tf away, heckler.
ReplyDeleteRadioman battling back with his back against the ropes.
ReplyDeleteBut will it be enough?
Traffic stiops are not in the annual report, those are reported to the state AG office for his publication to track ' racial profiling'. Which is useless bacause it reveals the same information every year. More minorities get stopped on traffic stops than their population percentages. But that still means nothing if you are trying to define/ resolve/ eliminated racial profiling. It is useless and a giant waste to even track since it proves nothing!
ReplyDeleteHe's soft on crime, but hard on white wemon!
ReplyDeleteLOL, 3:14!!
ReplyDelete