Violent crime is down in Kansas City, including the first big reduction in homicides in decades, the police chief reported this week.
Chief Darryl Forte blogged the numbers Monday for crime stats so far this year.
Homicides are down more than 30 percent from the same time last year, he said, “the first significant reduction in homicides in the last 50 years.”
Aggravated assaults such as non fatal shootings are also down 15 percent.
Forte speculates that reasons for the declines include increased community cooperation, more neighborhoods refusing to tolerate crime and the Kansas City No Violence Alliance.
He cites the work of the Violent Crimes Enforcement Unit, the enforcement arm of KC NoVA, The group goes after those at the center of violent criminal networks, he said.
So far this year they have recovered 119 guns possessed illegally, made 38 arrests for felons in possession of firearms and 16 arrests for other federal firearms offenses.
They’ve also arrested 322 people for state warrants and 188 who were under investigated for serious felonies, he said.
“Crime is down in Kansas City but it certainly is not eliminated,” he said. “We continue to rely on the community to assist us.”
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