KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
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In recent efforts to increase their visibility out in the community, the Kansas City Police Department now has a new tool to patrol with.
People might be used to seeing officers in cars, on bikes, motorcycles, and even horses, but the newest tool in their toolbox are ATVs.
"We're utilizing them on a daily basis to patrol the downtown area between City Market to the Crossroads, up to Crown Center, so we can be in and out of alleyways, parking garages," KCPD Sgt. Aaron Bryant said. "Being highly visible while also being very approachable at the same time."
This unit consists of four officers that rotate hours and patrol styles.
Their goal is to operate outside of a traditional police vehicle 75% of the time; the department says ATVs are more convenient to patrol certain areas.
These are all areas that have seen a lot of crime and activity.
In the River Market, from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3, there were nine stolen vehicles reported.
But from Nov. 11 to Nov. 17, there was one stolen vehicle reported. KCPD credits their increased presence for the decline.
"It's not just a police car passing through," Bryant said. "We're there on foot. We're rolling up on bikes. We're rolling up on our four-wheelers. People take notice when we're there that, 'It's time to go — this isn't where we want to hang out anymore.'"
Calvin Vick owns KC Daquiri in downtown KCMO.
He says about a month ago, city leaders visited his restaurant and mentioned they had plans to increase presence in the area. While he hasn’t noticed the increase, he welcomes it.
"Patrolling the area, that would be huge for my business, a small business," Vick said. "Especially one that has been vandalized, broken into. That would be very positive, but we have not seen that yet. Because then customers who are coming in on a regular basis to sit down and have a daiquiri, if they see the police officer's presence, they won’t see a lot of people walking the streets that are homeless or don’t have a place to go."
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