A good turnout this morning for a KCPD Community Forum at Paseo Performing Arts Academy.
More photos and maybe a few quotes on the way . . .
BACK from the KCPD Community forum. Again, for early on a Saturday morning I was impressed with the turnout. From what I understand these forums are designed to offer an informal opportunity for members of the community to talk one on one with officers in different divisions throughout the department.
A video kiosk greeted the public and explained how the community could participate but it was really the personal touch that made the difference . . .
The outreach effort is pretty extensive and I members of different patrol stations and numerous divisions were talking with the public this morning.
For some reason, an exhibit on door locks earned quite a bit of interest early this Saturday morning.
More to come . . .
I wonder if Forte will talk about how his Hot Spot program isn't working.
ReplyDeleteFrom the picture it looks like a good turnout -- of Cops !
ReplyDeleteYears ago there was a television show called Hill Street Blues. In one episode, the precinct captain rounded up all the drug dealers, gangsters, and pimps and had a forum to partner with them to reduce some of the violence that was occurring. I say that to say this, the thugs run KC and will continue to run KC as long as the conditions exists to make selling drugs and killing people less profitable than working at McDonalds. These forums would be better suited if the Chief would invite the gangsters to these summits rather than everyday citizens who are not going to make any impact on the guns or drugs in the inner city.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with that is this: Cities like LA, Miami and others have tried that approach and in some cases have had small successes. In those cases and cities, the criminal base and gang networks are defined such as Bloods/Crips/Latin Kings, Vice Lords, Etc. In Kansas City, while in some areas there might be groups that affiliate themselves with the large well known gangs, many of KC's gangs are neighborhood based. They do not have the developed hierarchy and leadership of the nation's larger gangs. Their goals, messages, types of crime, and ideologies are different. I agree with the idea that you (1126) presented however based on the above info, I don't think it would work. Our city is way too spread out and we have too many small neighborhood gangs for it to be a success.
ReplyDeleteOver 90% of all the homicides in KCMO take place within a 50-block area on the east side. The notion that KCMO is too spread out is one of those excuses that's been around for a long time, but doesn't get any moe accurate by endless repetition.
ReplyDeleteAnd a fair amount of the east side has so few residents among the abandoned houses and vacant lots that building any kind of cohesive neighborhoods is very difficult. But if some leadership was provided at helping residents understand how they could help provide for their own safety by working together and with the police, there could be some triage progress made to curb some of the crime and violence. As long as the police have to race from one call to the next and can't expect any help from reisdents, not much good is going to happen.
From 11:26 It may not be a success but neither are the forums. The time and energy out into these forums would be better suited for police to go door to door and take back the city one block at a time. That means, working with the city to put young folks to work cleaning up vacant lots, tearing down old houses, and putting up trash. It means allowing neighborhoods to form districts who can hire security patrols to be supplemented by the city.The police working to get kids more involved in sport leagues etc etc etc
ReplyDeleteSOS, I completely agree without regarding the radius and the east side. Regardless of how they try and get families and communities involved in the "problem" areas it just won't happen. People may talk and speak out about change and a reduction in the violence but they are also in many cases related to the same one's committing these crimes and making the neighborhoods dangerous. The struggle between what is right and family is what is creating this block in the city, PD, and neighborhoods being able to reduce the violence. Until people step up and decide that their safety is more important than hiding the fact that their nephews and cousins are shooting people outside, we will continue to have this issue. The self proclaimed "community leaders" and groups like AIM4 Peace have no significant impact on the problem. It's a short term and visible way for people to speak out against violence but when the vigil or parade is over, they go right back to defending their loved ones who are out dealing drugs, robbing, and shooting people.
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention the "community leaders" on the east side. They stand on Prospect and at these vigils denouncing the violence and the criminals, but then go meet with and harbor the same criminals. I know of at least two incidents where Al Brooks was inside houses hanging out with criminals when the PD served search warrants there. I think one of them, Al was in the living room talking with a homicide suspect.
ReplyDeleteHAHA, that video kiosk was probably stolen during the event and is sitting in some east side thug's bedroom right now with a stolen x-box hooked up to it.
ReplyDeleteActually, 11:26, I would expand your definition of "thugs" to include those in the "Racism Industry".
ReplyDeleteHe's one guy that gets it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ywe5On2UW0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Too small, people have a 10/1 ratio....if their house cost $40,000 then their TV should be about $4,000. Simple eastside economics...
ReplyDeleteIt was a Homicide warrant (pickup) that Alvin Brooks was there on. I was there serving it. There is definately a conflict of interest with Alvin Brooks. God help him if he's there on another SW and doesn't listen. He should be charged with harboring a fugitive. If I only had a dollar for everytime I heard....I'm calling Alvin Brooks!!!!!! I could retire tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteLooks like way too much blog coverage for a poorly attended and largely unpublicized event where the cops outnumbered the citizens.
ReplyDeleteThat happens a lot at city hall 'citizen' events where only the usual attendee suspects, outnumbered by city employees.
Why do you do that, Tony? Sucking up to your govt contacts and tipsters?