Page 16 - 2018 Annual Report
P. 16
Initiative Crime Prevention Expanded
The Kansas City Missouri Police Department
now has twice as many police officers dedicated
Chief’s March 26, 2018, two Community Interaction
to working directly with neighborhoods. As of
Officers were assigned to each of KCPD’s six
patrol divisions, which Chief Richard Smith laid
out as one of his goals in the selection process
for Chief. That makes for a dozen officers
who are dedicated to working proactively to
empower neighborhoods, resolve ongoing
issues and prevent crime.
CIOs–Front from left: Richard Marquez, Mikki Cassidy,
Historically, Community Interaction Richard Jones, John Lozano, Holly Sticken. Back row:
Officers (CIOs) at KCPD have helped facilitate Andy Hamil, Aaron Whitehead, Robert Pavlovic, Mary
communication between the Police Department McCall, Chief Richard Smith, Patrick Byrd, Greg Smith
and the residents of Kansas City. They encourage and Coordinator Jason Cooley. Not pictured: Bill Keeney
residents to be actively involved in anti-crime
efforts and promote community support for the organization and involvement. They partnered
police department through positive interaction with the UMKC Center for Neighborhoods to
and partnerships with the community. CIOs help identify community leaders, implement
meet with members of the community on a crime prevention strategies and empower
regular basis to address specific community residents to improve their quality of life.
problems and plausible solutions. The new set of CIOs worked from 1 to 9 p.m.,
But what about neighborhoods and residents allowing them to engage with people who may
who don’t engage with police or each other? not have been involved before because they
“One thing we know for sure work during the day, Chief Smith said. The new
CIOs’ shifts overlap with the existing CIOs so
is that strong neighborhoods – they could coordinate. Patrol division leaders
those that are well organized and chose the new, second-shift CIOs based on
their experience and desire to build community
whose residents are engaged and relationships and help solve neighborhood
problems.
look out for each other – have All the CIOs were trained in the proven
less crime,” Chief Smith said. crime prevention strategy of Crime Prevention
Through Environmental Design (CPTED) so they
All 12 CIOs were tasked with engaging could help residents and businesses create an
and empowering neighborhoods that lack environment that deters criminal activity.
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