By MICHAEL BUSHNELL
Northeast News
March 12, 2014

Calling 911 to some may seem like an exercise in futility. We’ve all heard the lamentations from the neighbor who has called so many times they’ve given up dialing 911 on whatever issue. Neighborhood leaders continue, however, to preach the gospel of making a 911 call to build that case file and get the criminal element that’s being called on arrested, jailed and ultimately prosecuted.

Last Thursday morning, exactly that happened. And when dispatchers broadcasted the call to officers, the bad guy got caught and went to jail. All because a citizen picked up the phone and made a 911 call when something just didn’t look right.

The call was broadcast as a suspicious party call in the 100 block of N. Kensington Avenue. The alert citizen gave the Kansas City Police call-taker an excellent description of the party making it easier for responding officers to later identify him. After officers responded to the area, it was determined that a burglary had also taken place at a nearby residence. Two additional officers were soon in the area and an individual matching the description of the suspect was observed walking away from the area near St. John and Elmwood Avenues.

That individual was stopped by officers and a pedestrian check was initiated. After making contact with the subject, a records check confirmed he had multiple felony warrants. A search of the subject also revealed the subject had in his possession items matching the description of those taken in the burglary. Witnesses were also able to provide officers a location behind a garage where the suspect had stashed some of the stolen items. The suspect, after being positively identified by both a witness and the victim of the burglary was placed under arrest and remanded into custody.

“This is a perfect example of why citizens need to call 911 whenever they see something suspicious,” Sgt. Mike Ward, who supervised the arrest, said.

The suspect remains jailed on first degree burglary charges, a class B felony. Most of his outstanding felony warrants were for previous burglary charges.

“Score one for the good guys,” Ward said. “And it all began with one alert citizen, picking up the phone and calling 911.”