Leaders from community organizations, the city and county and business owners gathered in April 2025 for a kick-off event for Business 360, an ongoing series of events providing business owners information on crime prevention efforts from around the region, as well as tangible community resources to safeguard their business, while connecting with other leaders looking to join in the work to prevent crime in Kansas City.
The event’s more than 120 attendees heard from six leaders about practical strategies and the importance of community-led efforts.
What Did the Speakers Share?
Gary Jones | KC 360 Program Director, KC Common Good
Gary Jones, KC 360 Program Director shares updates, goals and the future state of Kansas City crime prevention
More than half of the attendees in the room had never attended a KC 360 meeting, so Gary shared the organization’s beginnings, its goals for Kansas City, and some early results.
KC 360 is a platform for community organizations, city leaders, law enforcement, faith leaders and the business community to connect, share data and present collaborative solutions to address the root causes of violence. The group has four subcommittees, led by volunteers:
- Reentry: Identify and prepare individuals returning from incarceration, connect individuals with specialized reentry services, expand the network of organizations and businesses utilizing the formerly incarcerated population, and address the stigmas formerly incarcerated individuals face in society.
- Youth Empowerment: Address the root causes of violence for our young people, create programs and activities that promote peace and hope, connect at-risk youth with positive programs, and develop meaningful connections with our youth in a way that fosters community engagement.
- Community Police Relations: Build stronger relationships between law enforcement and community members, share community resources with businesses and organizations to prevent crime, and increase the visibility of police and community involvement to educate the community on improving relationships.
- Community Care Chaplains: Promote peace and provide hope to communities affected by violence through religious outreach, support and community engagement.
KC 360 is program and framework for discussion and collective action. Since its beginnings, 62% of KC 360 participants have reported an increased trust with the police and City leadership.
Business 360 aims to bring that trust to the business community who are affected by crime every day.
Ryana Parks-Shaw | Mayor Pro Tem, City of Kansas City
Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw shares new CPTED business self-assessment
As a small business owner herself, Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw understands the challenges that Kansas City’s business owners face today. But as a leader in the city, she also understands the larger impact of violence on the region’s economy.
Each homicide in Kansas City costs the community more than $8.6 million. With over 180 homicides in 2024, our annual economic cost of violence exceeded $1.5 billion. This is not sustainable for our city or our businesses.
The Mayor’s office and the KCPD Community Engagement Division partnered to bring Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) trainings to local businesses for free. The process starts with a business CPTED guide and self-assessment which allows businesses to inventory their current safety measures and make note of improvements.
KCPD Community Engagement Division
Rashid Junaid | Program Manager, Aim4Peace
Rashid Junaid, Aim4Peace Program Manager, shares data about the effectiveness of CVIs
Aim4Peace is a government funded Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organization, working directly in the community with those most at-risk to commit crimes or be victims of crimes. Aim4Peace operates with street teams in some of Kansas City’s highest-crime neighborhoods including Santa Fe, Oak Park and Blue Hills.
In 2024, Aim4Peace worked with 141 individuals and cited an average of 7 successful violence intervention mediations per week. Because of their work and the work of other organizations, these neighborhoods saw a notable decline in homicides from 2023-2024.
- Blue Hills: -14.3%
- Oak Park: -55.3%
- Indian Mound: -50%
- Lykins: -33.3%
As a result, for every $1 invested in the Aim4Peace CVI, the community generated more than $8 in savings for the economic cost of violence in 2024.
“This has been a winning strategy for our community over the years. When CVI programs are funded, homicides go down. When they are not funded, homicides go up. Its hard for people to chance on their own–we need to help them change. Everybody has a part in this struggle. It is all of our problem.”
- Rashid Junaid, Aim4Peace Program Manager
Brittany Peterson | Reentry Projects Supervisor, Second Chance
Brittany Peterson, Second Chance Reentry Project Supervisor, discusses how businesses can activate and support the formerly incarcerated population
Intervention strategies like CVI groups are a successful strategy to reduce violence, but to create real, sustainable change, violence prevention efforts are key. Supporting our region’s formerly incarcerated population is one area that can have lasting ripple effects. More than 1 in 3 individuals in the United States have an arrest or conviction record.
Some of the leading factors to predict incarceration include poverty, lack of education and homelessness. These indicating factors are very commonly shared by those returning from prison. People who’ve been incarcerated are 5 times more likely to be unemployed and struggle to secure housing. This makes it harder for those individuals to avoid being rearrested and put back in prison. In fact, 82% of formerly incarcerated individuals will be arrested again within 10 years.
In the U.S., more than 610,000 people are released from state and federal prisons each year and will need employment. This gives businesses a whole new pool of potential job candidates to tap into. By connecting with reentry services organizations like Second Chance, Journey to New Life, the Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation, businesses can find talented workers and contribute to the ongoing work to address the root causes of violence.
“The data speaks for itself. We are spending money on this that we could be spending elsewhere if we fix this problem. 97% of incarcerated people will come home. We need to support those individuals to keep them out of prison and live a fulfilling and contributing life in our community.”
- Brittany Peterson, Second Chance Reentry Projects Supervisor
Melesa Johnson | Prosecutor, Jackson County
Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson shares how businesses can engage with the prosecutor’s office more effectively
In Spring 2024, the Jackson Couty Prosecutor’s office began implementation of its SAVE KC program. The program focuses efforts on individuals who have committed two or more felonies or three or more misdemeanors against a single person, business or community. Since then, Kansas City’s high impact offenders have been charged with felonies at a higher rate than ever before, removing repeat offenders from their victims, and giving individuals, businesses and communities a promise of peace.
The agency also recently created an all-new trespassing notice form for businesses. When businesses call police for support with trespassing, it’s often inefficient and ineffective. With the new form, businesses now have the agency to deliver official trespassing notices to repeat offenders and law enforcement, creating a paper trail where they previously weren’t able to do so.
As a result, individuals with multiple trespassing notices from the same business can qualify as high impact offenders, making it easier for prosecutors to process at the felony level.
The trespassing notice form and process can be found by contacting the Jackson County Prosector’s office.
Contact the Prosecutor’s Office
Lara Gray | Owner, Casual Animal Brewing
Lara Gray, owner of Casual Animal Brewing, shares why it is important for businesses to get involved in crime prevention efforts
The founder of Casual Animal Brewing and an active community member, Lara Gray was one of the local businesses to kickstart Business 360. Following a string of break-ins in the Crossroads district, Lara felt compelled to rally the business community to work together to reduce crime.
“As business owners, we often operate in our own silos. Without a common purpose, it can feel isolating. Today, we see that common purpose. Now is the time for business to turn their frustration into action. Even the smallest changes we can make, are better than the reality we are in today.”
- Lara Gray, Casual Animal Brewing Owner
Why Join?
When our community is safe, businesses thrive. By understanding the larger root causes that are driving crime, businesses can create a safe environment for employees and customers.
How can businesses support? Businesses of all sizes can join in the work to reduce violence. From participating in the CPTED self-assessment and opening dialogue with law enforcement, to adopting anti-discriminatory ex-offender hiring practices, and donating to CVI organizations, there is always somewhere to begin. KC Common Good’s Business Engagement Plan has five ways business can take action today.
https://kccommongood.org/business-engagement-plan/
What’s Next
Business 360 is an ongoing conversation for local business owners. Virtual Lunch & Learn style meetings will be held via Zoom on the first Wednesday of each month. If your business is ready to take steps to reduce crime and impact real change across the metro, join us online.
