KCPD meets Board of Commissioners on efforts to stop property crime, sideshows

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - In their latest meeting with the Board of Commissioners, the Kansas City Missouri Police Department gave an update that’s in high demand.

As residents continue seeing sideshows and property crimes, KCPD said with the help of City Council, they’re planning solutions.

Those who experience all the types of crime KCPD and the Police Board of Commissioners talked about in their latest meeting agree on one thing. If something is not done about theft and property crime, Kansas City will lose its unique layout of local businesses.

One of those businesses is French Custard off 59th and Brookside. They’ve experienced three break-ins in the last 18 months, leaving owner Jessica Wood with lots of anxiety.

“Every morning you wake up thankful you were not the business hit that day,” Wood said, “because every day there’s a new business hit. The worst part is not really financially, but emotionally having to be at the shop at 3:00 a.m. to clean up broken glass.”

In the heart of downtown, locals can hardly get a goodnight’s sleep because of side shows from reckless drivers.

“There are times they’re racing by and I’m walking my dog, and you just have to get out of the way,” Tony Patton said. “People are running red lights and racing around. It’s almost every night.”

“It’s almost as if they’re on the eighth floor where I live doing burnouts,” Jose Aguilar said.

Speaking to the Police Commission, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves shared an idea to crack down on the issue.

“We will be meeting with legislators in Jefferson City to create and enhance penalties for those who participate or are spectators in these dangerous side shows,” Chief Graves claimed.

Instead of waiting for new laws, people KCTV met feel a lot of property and auto crime could be stopped if KCPD had more of a presence on the streets.

“I’ve called the police several times, my son who lives downtown has called the police several times and we just don’t see them,” Patton told KCTV. “Typically, when we call them, they say they’re on a call for another part of the city.”

Chief Graves went on to explain they’re also taking a “collective approach” partnering with community resources to patrol areas that just experienced crime on foot and by car to ensure they have it secured.

Her team also urged everyone to never keep valuables in their car to minimize the risk of theft. They also suggested keeping an air tag on your car and parking in places with security systems.

Councilman Crispin Rea also promoted the idea of building a new jail through a public safety sales tax, so authorities have more room to house those arrested before they go to court.

When it comes to that public safety sales tax for a new jail, Kansas City voters will decide if they want to approve it when they head to the polls in April.