PLAY YOUR PART
KC 360, alongside local business, residents, community-based organizations and city partners, are taking action to directly reduce violence in Kansas City.
With rates of violent crime reaching an all-time high, we posed the question:
“What can we collectively do to make our city’s residents safer?”
The answer? Play Your Part. Change takes all of us.
Change is Happening
Kansas City is entering into a season of unprecedented collaboration in the violence reduction space. Across the city, diverse partnerships have started to collectively address violence prevention, intervention, enforcement, reentry support and expanded social services.
Click below to read a report on the collective work, which at a high-level includes:
- Expanding community leadership
- Recasting drivers of violence
- Increasing victim, family and neighborhood resources
- Investing in research and innovation
Success in Santa Fe
KC 360’s comprehensive, community-based approach to violence reduction is modeled after the Empowerment Network’s successful Omaha 360 program. Since its start in 2009, the city has seen a 74% decrease in shootings and the lowest homicide rate in 30 years.
The village strategy focuses on a specific geography, expands comprehensive programs, and utilizes evidence-based practices. The first village zone in Kansas City is the Santa Fe neighborhood, which in 2022 experienced nine homicides. To date, in 2023, there have been two homicides: a 78% decrease.
How does this happen? Action.
KC 360 partners and collaborators collectively spurred 4,876 actions, invested 9,050 hours, and deployed $3.53 million of organizational resources.
This high-touch, all-hands-on-deck support is the key to creating safer communities. Click below for more information and an overview on KC 360’s strategic approach.
STAT
STAT – Strategic Terrain-based Action Team – A citywide, multi-disciplinary team created to reduce violent crime. Within this team, the Kansas City Police Department works alongside county prosecutors, federal authorities, and various city departments and agencies.
The goal of aligning these groups is to more rapidly and effectively respond to community concerns. This approach requires us to:
- Democratize the use of data and analytics
- Empower community organizations to become co-producers of public safety
- Mobilize community resources and expertise to problem-solve Kansas City’s most pressing violent crime issues
Change Takes All of Us
Essential to the success of a collective-impact model like KC 360, and to reduce violence in Kansas City, is the commitment of multiple partners and stakeholders across the city. This includes:
- Commmunity-based organizations, who can provide resources and support
- Business and corporations, who can invest in the safety of our city and residents
- City council and police, who can instill trust and advocate for the safety of all people
- Residents of impacted areas, who can drive change in their communities
How You Can Play Your Part
KC 360 has demonstrated it takes a village to reduce crime. From every angle, we all have to wrap our arms around the individuals in the communities most susceptible to violence. Support comes in many forms, and there are many ways you can safely prevent acts of violence before they occur.
Download our 10 Things You Can Do flyer, a list of resources you can utilize and share with others. Life-changing support is now more accessible than ever.
