Public Safety

Kansas City voters will be asked in April's election whether they'll support a renewal of the city's public safety sales tax, which city officials want to use to fund a new jail. Plus: A small park in Westwood has sparked legal battles, heated city council meetings and even protests. Now, voters will decide its fate.

The community policing and engagement plan is one of the last major actions required by a 2016 federal consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. "We are not the police department of 2014," said one longtime resident.

Financial troubles with the KCATA could come at a cost to bus riders in the future. A budget shortfall could mean the end of free bus service, a reduction of routes and layoffs if the agency can't secure additional funding. Kansas City Mayor Pro Tem Ryana-Parks Shaw says that no matter what, service will look different in the future.

With plans to beef up funding for law enforcement and have the state take over control of the police department in St. Louis, Kehoe hopes to make public safety the cornerstone of his administration. He's also promised to eliminate the income tax.

Kehoe highlighted a number of new budget items that seek to reduce the state’s crime rate, including a new state crime lab and more money for local departments. He also reiterated his support for a state board overseeing St. Louis Police, taking away local control from the city.

Missouri this year raised penalties for distracted drivers with its "hands free" law. The state has joined 29 other states and Washington, D.C., in banning phones behind the wheel.

Kansas City made a concerted effort to support unhoused individuals in the first major winter storm of 2025, Mayor Quinton Lucas said in an interview with Up To Date. But the mayor admitted the city isn't where it should be in its housing policies — including in building a low-barrier shelter.

With over 5,000 reported car thefts in Kansas City this year, frustrated residents are demanding elected officials and law enforcement find solutions. Plus: A $10 million federal grant will be used to improve safety on Prospect Avenue, one of the city's most dangerous roads.

Mayor Quinton Lucas told KCUR’s Up To Date that he’d like to find alternative ways to pay for the baseball team’s future stadium. “Why should every person in Jackson County pay a sales tax to support something that they may never use?” he asked.

Kansas City experienced its deadliest year on record in 2023, although homicides are down so far in 2024. With longtime Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker stepping down, multiple Democrats and a Republican are proposing ways to refocus the office.

Alvin Brooks’ life has become the stuff of legend around Kansas City. Now, a new film by Academy Award-winner Kevin Wilmott details it for the big screen.

Lawmakers sent a very similar measure to Gov. Mike Parson last year. He vetoed it due to a proposal making it easier for people to get restitution for wrongful convictions, and language around expungements.