Major changes underway to fight violent gun crimes in Kansas City

Kansas City Police and their federal, state and community partners today unveiled several measures to combat gun-related violent crime in Kansas City:

• Thanks to funding from the City of Kansas City, Mo., a reward of $25,000 is now being offered for anonymous tips leading to an arrest in a KCMO homicide through the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline. This is an increase from the previous $10,000 reward. A robust marketing campaign will raise community awareness of the reward increase, particularly in neighborhoods most affected by violence.
  
  
• A reinvigorated program through Crime Stoppers and the Kansas City Field Division of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will offer $1,000 rewards to anyone who provides an anonymous tip leading to an arrest of someone involved in the theft of a gun, the straw purchase of a gun (guns purchased on behalf of someone who cannot legally possess a firearm, usually a felon), or the illegal use or possession of a gun.
  
  
• The Kansas City No Violence Alliance is changing its enforcement focus from group-related violent crime to individual, prolific, violent offenders. After 18 months of evaluation through the U.S. Department of Justice, Kansas City is adopting this strategy that has made a major impact on violent crime in other cities, such as Tampa, Fla.
  
  
• Last fall, the grant-funded Crime Gun Intelligence Center ramped up its efforts to forensically link gun crimes. This task force is composed of ATF agents and detectives from the Kansas City Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas, police departments.

Late summer is historically the peak time for gun violence in Kansas City, Mo. The KCPD and its partners hope the initiatives announced today will help curb this violence. For any of these efforts to be effective, however, the help of the community is crucial. Read more on Chief Rick Smith’s blog.