Kansas City Northland Begs For Drug Crime Crackdown

The nice side of the bridge makes an argument for stricter drug law enforcement and brings statistical data to back up their protestations. 

Here's the money line . . .

"On Tuesday, Prosecutors Eric Zahnd and Dan White from Platte and Clay counties, respectively showed the BOPC their own information that shows violence and drugs are linked. Zahnd said data will only answer the question you ask. He posed the question: Are violent crimes related to drugs? "The answer to that question is unequivocally yes," Zahnd said. 

He pointed out he can only speak for Platte county. Zahnd said 90% of the county's homicides over the last five years were associated with drugs in some way. He also said 75% of the county's non-domestic assault, robbery and weapons charges were related to drugs in some way. "So many of our other non-violent and violent crimes are driven by drug abuse, so the real question is 'How do we define what a drug crime is and what drugs are driving in our city?'" Zahnd said."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Northland prosecutors urge no let up on drug enforcement

Prosecutors Eric Zahnd of Platte County and Dan White of Clay County urged the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners not to let up on enforcing drug laws.Both prosecutors believe there is a direct link between drugs and violent crime.Zahnd told the commissioners that 91% of his violent crimes have a drug connection.

Platte, Clay county prosecutors argue violent crimes are connected to drugs, emphasize prosecution

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - In July, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker presented data to the Board of Police Commissioners (BOPC) that showed the majority of drug cases forwarded to her office aren't violent . Baker told the BOPC that she will only take drug cases when detectives can show a clear connection to violence or when the case presents a significant community concern.