KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The numbers are hard to ignore. So far in 2017, Kansas City police have investigated 135 homicides. Police records show at least 115 of the deaths are gun-related.
On Wednesday, city leaders plan to review accepting a $1 million federal grant to join a nationwide initiative to fight back against gun crimes. It's called the National Crime Gun Intelligence Center.
The initiative strives to identify repeat shooters and disrupt criminal behavior to prevent future gun violence.
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With the federal money, Kansas City could better implement the program. Its strategies include expediting forensic analysis of gun-related evidence from crime scenes, developing actionable leads by accessing national databases and creating a dedicated team to coordinate the program.
The initiative started in Denver. Program organizers said between 2013 and most of 2016, team members in Denver made 66 state arrests, prosecuted 24 people for federal firearms violations and referred 27 cases for further investigation.
Kansas City council members will see the plan at Wednesday's 10 a.m. Neighborhood and Public Safety Committee meeting. The full city council is expected to formally vote Thursday on whether to accept the grant.
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