Northeast News
August 27, 2014

Dear Editor,

I wanted to express my longstanding concern as to the poor service the KC Police provides to Northeast Kansas City. Crime is ALWAYS a factor here and graffiti continues to appear everywhere on our streets and it has always gone unpunished. If you call 911 or the non-emergency number and you live on the Plaza, or Ward Parkway, response is swift. I have seen it. But here in good ‘ol Northeast, it is nearly non-existent. Two recent examples occurred for me in the past few weeks. I live near the concourse and have called the non-emergency number for people breaking the noise ordinance laws. I came home from work at 12:30 one evening a few weeks ago and my disrespectful neighbors across the street were playing their car radio LOUDLY outside on a Wednesday evening. At 1 AM, I called Police to see if someone could stop by and put a stop to this. Nobody turned up and the noise continued until 3 AM. Not a cop in sight and I am sure I wasn’t the only one who complained. I find it hard to decide which is worse; my neighbors, who have no regard for the people trying to sleep in close proximity to their partying, or the police, who have no regard for keeping the peace (and quiet).

Cut to this past weekend and my so-called neighbors two doors up were having a LOUD party in their backyard. So loud it rattled my windows. I first called police after 10:30 PM. Nobody showed up. After four calls to the non-emergency number, not one Police car rolled by until the music was almost done at 1:30 AM. When a car finally came by at 1:15, he just kept going. So, I can only assume that the KCPD in this neighborhood or either too lazy or incompetent to do what we, the taxpayer, pay them to do, or they are simply too afraid to confront potential trouble in this neighborhood. Add to what is currently happening in Ferguson, Missouri, and it simply appears that the police in this state are completely inept. They either don’t respond, or if they do, they simply don’t know how to deal with pressure situations and absolutely have no skills at dealing with “civilians.” I would say this needs to be addressed, but this is nothing new. Next time I have an issue, I know the police will be my LAST option. They have failed me too many times over the years. Frankly, I’d like the tax dollars they steal from me every paycheck back in my wallet where it will at least get used wisely.

Keith Koenig

Northeast Kansas City