Public Safety

Missouri joined a handful of states labeling emergency dispatchers as "first responders." Along with the new label comes advanced access to mental health resources and the formal naming of PTSD as an occupational hazard for the profession.

Recently re-elected Mayor Quinton Lucas and the new Kansas City Council will be sworn in Tuesday morning — signaling the start of their four-year term. But for the six newcomers, including Johnathan Duncan and Crispin Rea, preparation began weeks ago.

Since March 29, Kansas City Police have received 296 calls related to street racing and sideshow activities. While the city has invested in some new infrastructure, such as installing plastic discs in the ground that make it harder for stunt drivers, the changes haven't held up as well as officials hoped.

Organizers expect that Kansas City’s 2023 PrideFest and parade should draw about 50,000 people this weekend. But recent anti-LGBTQ policies, plus an attack last weekend at Fountain Haus in Westport, have stoked safety concerns for many event-goers.

Some young Kansas Citians say they’re losing trust in the ability of elected officials and law enforcement to keep them safe from groups they believe want to do them harm. So they're turning to gun ownership. Plus: Why an ancient grain could help Midwest farmers survive climate change.

The establishment of the new department comes after nearly 50 years of the Missouri National Guard being part of the Department of Public Safety.

In neighborhoods like Power & Light and the Crossroads, where stunt driving and car sideshows have become a nuisance, city crews are installing small black discs that are meant to disrupt the movement of sliding or skidding tires.

As of the end of August, Kansas City traffic fatalities were up 25% over a year earlier. Nationwide, deaths are at a 20-year high, a surge not seen among any other developed countries.

There is no safe level of lead in children's blood, according to researchers. Yet, the toxin persists in the Midwest because of the way infrastructure and homes were built.

With the city at its worst point yet in the pandemic, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas speaks with host Nomin Ujiyediin about how the city is handling the omicron surge and the ways that politics affect policy.

As a penalty for ignoring federal safety laws, Missouri has diverted millions of dollars in road construction funds to safety programs. But critics say the state's open container policies make roads more dangerous.

Businesses with more than 20 employees must provide up to two weeks of unpaid time off for survivors of domestic or sexual violence under a state law.