The Violence Free KC Committee is continuing its efforts to show how violence is a public health issue in the city.
“If you live in a home or you live in an area where you're constantly witnessing violence, that violence, you take that in, and then you spread it from person to person to person,” said Denesha Snell, Public Information Officer for the Kansas City Health Department.
“We believe that family and youth violence is such a serious problem in the city and the nation. It's really an epidemic and that's where we go back to the idea of it being a public health issue,” Kansas City Police Department Maj. Dan Haley said.
Committee members met Friday morning, discussing strategies and raising awareness about the issue.
“Through having these meetings and these organizations coming together, we're building up that trust that will allow us to move forward,” Haley said.
Haley said 27 homicides have happened so far this year in Kansas City, Missouri.
“As a police officer, I’m not surprised, but I’m disappointed,” Haley said. “This is my home, this is where I was raised and to see the homicides. It's just very disappointing and heartbreaking."
With the recent announcement of Chief Darryl Forte retiring, Haley hopes his successor will continue to focus on how to bring the violence down.
“Hopefully, the next chief that we get will be as inspirational and as connected with the urban community as Chief Forte,” Haley said.
Dr. Luis Cordoba, KCPS Executive Director for the Office of Student Interventions and co-chair of the Violence Free KC Committee, said teaching the city’s youth about the issue is key.
“They're the new leaders of tomorrow, and we need to instill in them that they have the skill sets and if they don't, let's provide them with those skill sets to be part of those new community leaders that will change hopefully the social norm,” Cordoba said.
“What affects one part of your city affects your whole city,” Snell said. “It affects economics, it affects tourism, it affects all of that. So it's not something you can just drive past. It's something that affects all of us.”
The next committee hearing is April 28 at the Kansas City Health Department at 9:30 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
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Rae Daniel can be reached at Rae.Daniel@KSHB.com.
