By Paul Thompson

Northeast News

March 29, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Mayor Sly James championed Kansas City’s commitment to technology, education, and infrastructure during an optimistic 2016-2017 State of the City address on Tuesday, March 28. He also stood behind the Kansas City No Violence Alliance (KC NoVA), a multi-pronged effort to combat violent group crime that hasn’t yet been able to slow the city’s rising homicide rate.

Between the retirement of KCPD Chief of Police Darryl Forte and the replacement of Tammy Dickinson as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri, two board members and key proponents are stepping away from prominent KC NoVA roles. Following a drop in 2014 to just 82 homicides, Kansas City, Missouri saw 111 homicides in 2015 and 128 in 2016. Twenty-seven more have already been recorded in 2017, up from 22 at this point last year.

The program, however, has been envisioned as a long-term investment from the beginning, and Mayor James didn’t shy away from his commitment to KC NoVA during the State of the City address. As James spoke about the program, statistics popped up on a giant screen behind him. In 2016, the stats offered, NoVA efforts led to 414 investigative arrests, 45 Federal warrants cleared, 303 State warrants cleared, and 1,191 City warrants cleared. Additionally, James noted that KCPD officers took 1,235 guns off the street in 2016, and that KC NoVA was responsible for nearly 60% of those gun seizures.

James also highlighted how the program provides vital social services to keep youths away from group violence, including job training, substance abuse support, anger management, housing, and medical care.

“We currently have about 135 young people who are taking advantage of this option, and while they’re taking advantage of this option, they’re not engaging in the risky behaviors that we’re trying to put down,” said James. “Our latest numbers show a 10% reduction in group-related violence in our City since NoVA’s inception in 2013.”

After the speech, James expounded on what the public can do to help city leaders combat violent crime.

“We’re doing everything that we can, but there’s no magic wand that we’re going to able to take and wave and make this go away. There’s not a police department in the country that’s not struggling with violence,” said James. “If we want violence to decrease, then people have to stand up. They have to point out who that person was who drove by and shot up that house today. They have to be willing to walk into court and testify.”

When asked whether he could support an incoming Chief of Police who didn’t commit to continuing the KC NoVA program, James expressed hesitancy to do so.

“At the end of the day, you’re not going to find an opportunity to bring federal, state, and local people together in order to try to get something done,” said James. “That’s going to be one of the main questions I’m going to be talking about when we’re interviewing candidates. If they have a problem with that, I’m going to want to know why.”

Elsewhere in the nearly hour-long speech, James accentuated the positives happening throughout the City. That included the 1.4 million streetcar riders registered tallied since the line opened last spring (and the 58% sales tax increase for the Transportation Development District), the support of entrepreneurship provided through the Innovation Partnership Program, an investment in urban core youth with the free-to-attend Urban Youth Academy, the commitment to technology exemplified by Open Data KC and the free public WiFi downtown, and the ongoing success of the Mayor’s Turn the Page KC reading program, which has helped guide 3rd-grade reading proficiency from 33% to 55% since its onset.

Education is so vital, James said, because it touches every aspect of our day-to-day lives.

“Our city’s very lifeblood is talent, creativity and the work ethic of our citizens,” said James. “That means we need well-educated people. There is no indicator more critical to success in education than reading.”

James concluded his speech with a plea to Kansas City taxpayers to support the $800 million G.O. Bond package that’s coming before voters on the April 4 election ballot. James added that he and many other City leaders have traveled far and wide in support of the package, saying that he’s more than happy to do so because at each stop, citizens have thoughtful questions about an issue that will affect Kansas City for decades.

“Each and every one of you deserves to know exactly how your dollars are going to be spent, and what the City is going to do to make progress each and every year,” said James. “Investing in the future is fundamental to progress.”

In conclusion, James issued a challenge to the citizens of Kansas City.

“Let’s make our mark on the years ahead, because ultimately that’s our test,” said James.
“Our kids and grand-kids aren’t going to judge us by the ideals that we hope for them; they’re going to judge us by the reality that we leave for them. They will be the beneficiaries of the renewed spirit of Kansas City.”