KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A south Kansas City neighborhood asked police officers to engage with them and Saturday officers answered that request.
The department's Community Engagement Division came to the Ruskin Heights neighborhood.
"We are your neighbors. We live in KC, so we want to show you that," said Major Kari Thompson, Division Commander of KCPD's Community Engagement Division.
The Kansas City Police Department is emphasizing that engaging with the community is what crime prevention is about.
Officers brought everything from food to music and volleyball to enjoy with police officers in Sycamore Park.
The officers want people to see them when there's good times happening and not just at crime scenes.
And in this area of south Kansas City, police cars on their way to a crime is not an unfamiliar sight.
"From my experience, it is a lot of crime, drugs and a few murders because people don’t have the resources they need and a lot of times when people don’t have the resources they need they turn to drugs, alcohol. That tends to make families fight," said Jazzlyn Strickland, Second Chance KC services coordinator.
Officers and their supervisors hope to reach the the community before bad decisions are made.
"Chronologically, we’re seeing the ages of our shooters and those committing violent acts younger and younger and it’s happening right here," said Maj. Thompson.
Seeing officers go door-to-door passing out fliers and hosting block parties makes Samantha English feel police want to be in her neighborhood.
"Usually in high crime areas, a lot of people don’t want the police around. They think police, they think trouble and it rubs off on the kids. They fear police instead of seeing them as an ally or friend," said English.
She’s teaching her 7-year-old to respect and not fear police officers.
“He’s breaking out of his shell and he knows if I’m doing something wrong, I’ll get in trouble, but at the same time he’ll walk to officers and say hi my name is…”
Officers working in neighborhoods with problems shows residents things can get better.
"Impoverished areas don’t really get the protection they need," Strickland said. "With the crime rate going up, it is because they don’t have the resources. For the police department to bring those resources to them, it shows we’re here to help, not destroy," Strickland said.
The Community Engagement Division is always looking for neighborhoods to visit and work with residents on improvements.
"Be a part of the change in your neighborhood by joining us," Maj. Thompson said.
