Kansas City police today announced vast changes to reduce the city’s standing last year as the fifth worse in the nation in numbers of per capita homicides.
They moved more than 40 people into the Violent Crimes Division to better reduce all violent crime, they said.
Among other details in the press release:
The changes are intended to build community relations, provide more intelligence on violent criminals and increase arrests and prosecutions.
They also should better prevent violence and increase police communication and efficiency.
The Kansas City No Violence Alliance also recently moved under the Violent Crimes Division and is working with all police to identify criminals and their groups of associates.
Chief Darryl Forte has assigned 28 uniformed officers to the Violent Crimes Enforcement Unit, which is another part of violent crimes group. The enforcement unit upgrade is the first time known when such a large group of uniformed officers was moved to investigate violent crime.
The enforcement unit will target everything from minor crimes to federal cases.
To better track criminals, the fugitive apprehension unit also moved under the enforcement unit.
Police also created a Violent Crimes Intelligence Squad that includes experienced gang, homicide and narcotics detectives.
The intelligence squad, working in uniforms and not under cover, will gather information about “gang/group feuds, retaliations and trends.”
Meanwhile the No Violence Alliance will continue to provide social services for people seeking to escape criminal lifestyles.
People in groups they work with are 100 times more likely to be murder victims than average city residents.
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