KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Police are at a loss as they are trying to investigate dozens of shootings in Kansas City, and they are not getting any help.
So now, the police chief is taking a new plan to the Kansas City Council.
In fact, many of the victims who could help them track down the shooters are not helping. Some victims said that is because police target them or treat them with suspicion.
Police Chief Darryl Forte said in order to get those shooting suspects caught, he needs victims to come forward, and he thinks the city can help.
Andrew Wilson was shot nine times on New Year's Even. After undergoing surgeries and recuperating in the hospital for weeks, he was released and went to talk to police.
Instead, he said he was arrested for driving on a suspended driver's license.
"We don't even know who it was, but I felt like they got mad at me because I wasn't cooperating," Wilson said.
He said that wasn't the case.
"They just said if I don't get in contact with them that they would close the case," Wilson said.
Forte addressed the council at their meeting Thursday afternoon. He made the appearance in response city to a special report by KCTV5's reporting partner, The Kansas City Star, about plans to boost cooperation from shooting victims.
The newspaper revealed that 60 percent of victims who survive shootings did not report their shooters.
Right now when a victim is wounded, detectives will visit the home of the victims, but if they don't find them, they will send a letter. If the victim doesn't respond to the letter or come forward the case is shut down.
Forte wants to revise that letter, to make it more empathetic, and send followup letters before closing the case.
"I'd like to revise that letter and make it for lack of a better word user friendly and more inviting to participate in the process and explain in that letter what the process might be and instead of sending out just one time," the chief said. "I'd like to send it at least three times."
He also wants detectives to collect more information, email addresses and relatives' contact numbers from shooting victims.
A special task force was formed when the Forte took his position, which focused on police developing a better relationship with victims of crimes.
"I'm not defensive about the article," he said. "I agree with it. It gives us an opportunity to take a look at ourselves."
People who where gunfire is all too common said they don't need statistics to tell them what they already know.
Parris Whitley's brother was fatally shot three years ago. Witnesses never came forward, and the case was closed. Whitley said too many people don't feel comfortable talking to police or trusting detectives.
Whitley said cooperating with police has a stigma "with the community," and he said too often people are threatened with violence if they do cooperate.
"Actually, the police don't do their job here," he said.
To read the newspaper's entire series, click here.
Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.
