Ordinance: Mayor Q Assigns Health Dept. To Cure Kansas City Crime

A remarkably bad idea pushed by activists earns a triumphant introduction from Mayor Quinton Lucas today.

The basics of this effort: "Public health response teams in the KC Health Department" might soon be assigned to work with locals and avoid encounters with law enforcement that would result in jail time.

We've talked about this effort in recent weeks . . . It's basically yet another activist cash grab. 

Still . . . 

Let's be fair about this for a second: Police often complain that they're tasked with playing social worker and performing thousands of tasks that don't have anything to do with law enforcement.  And so, providing alternatives for people in distress isn't necessarily a bad idea but there are ALREADY dozens of local organizations to help along that front.

This time around a leftover from the "Defund the police" movement of 2020 is using harsher language and feigning community support in order to secure funding for their scheme. 

Consider . . . 

Kansas City is now in the midst of a HISTORIC SPIKE IN VIOLENT CRIME that seems to be extending into 2024 . . . KCPD leaders have pleaded for more help in returning to full strength as the department is in desperate need of at least 300 more offers.

Meanwhile . . .

Mayor Q and his council allies remain focused on "community-based" solutions that have garnered mixed results in other cities. 

As always . . . 

Many progressives tell us that fighting the "root causes" of crime is the aim of their endeavors. 

However . . .

Given so much local violence . . . Maybe just focusing on ACTUALLY FIGHTING CRIME BY WAY OF OFFICER STRENGTH AND TOUGH JAIL TIME would be a more effective strategy.

Either way . . . 

Here's how yet another expensive program WON'T impact increasingly violent life on local streets: 

"Officials at Kansas City, Mo., City Hall announced on Thursday, March 7, that they will introduce a groundbreaking ordinance that will create a new alternative community response and pre-arrest diversion program.

"Known as REACH KC - Responding with Empathetic Alternatives and Community Health - officials noted that the program represents a new vision for community health and safety in KC

"City officials noted that the program would feature a 311 hotline that members of the community can use to request alternative response teams instead of a police response for issues that involve mental health, substance use, homelessness or other quality-of-life concerns. Teams would then connect those individuals with resources like housing, mental health and social services instead of arrest and jail time.

"If adopted, the city said the initiative would redirect individuals away from incarceration toward comprehensive care and support."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

KC could soon see new pre-arrest diversion program to cutdown jail time

Kansas City, Mo., could soon see a new pre-arrest diversion program that would redirect those with mental health or substance abuse issues away from jail.

Kansas City, Missouri, mayor introduces pre-arrest diversion legislation Thursday

Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas alongside Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw introduced pre-arrest diversion legislation at the Kansas City City Council Chamber Thursday.