Kansas City officials push for $30 million violence prevention effort

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Nine Kansas City Councilmembers are introducing legislation Wednesday for $30 million over the next five years appropriated for violence prevention programs across the city.

The councilmembers in favor of the proposal are calling on City Manager Brian Platt to help find a way to budget the funding.

A press conference with those councilmembers and several prominent local officials is scheduled at 12:30 p.m. at City Hall. KCTV5 will be covering that press conference live on KCTV5.com and on the KCTV5 Facebook page.

Kansas City has seen more than 500 homicides, with its three deadliest years on record, since the City Council adopted the Kansas City Blueprint for violence prevention plan in 2020.

The nine board members approving this new proposal want to finally implement the KC Blueprint, KC 360, and Partners For Peace.

This comes just a day after Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas met with the U.S. Marshals Service deputy director and local teens to talk about violent crime impacting young people in the city.

“Some things we heard were inspiring about the work that they’re doing with community organizations. Some heartbreaking. Hearing from a 15-year-old about how easy it is to get a gun on the streets of Kansas City,” said Lucas.

Deputy Director of the U.S. Marshals Service Roberto Robinson said, “Our director has a saying: ‘those closest to a challenge are closest to the solution.’ That’s what we are trying to work on now.”

Those expected to attend Wednesday’s Press Conference are:

Mayor Quinton Lucas

KCPD Deputy Chief Joseph Mabin, Deputy Chief Luis Ortiz

Nine City Council Members - Kevin O’Neill, Dan Fowler, Brandon Ellington, Melissa Robinson, Eric Bunch, Lee Barnes, Ryana Parks-Shaw, Andrea Bough, Kevin McManus

KC Community Organizations:

Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission – Rick Armstrong

AdHoc Against Crime – Brandon Mims

KC Mother’s in Charge – Rosilyn Temple

Center of Conflict Resolution – Annette Lantz-Simmons

KC Common Good – Klassie Alcine

Uncornered - Mark Culliton

KC 360 - Pastor Darren Faulkner

Partners for Peace- Melesa Johnson

Plaza Area Council – Kate Marshall

Faith Community Leaders

Neighborhood Leaders

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