Indian Creek Trail to get security cameras near sites of recent homicides

Kansas City plans to install seven to 10 security cameras by the end of the week along the Indian Creek Trail as police investigate four unsolved homicides in the area.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re doing everything possible to ensure safety in our parks,” said City Councilman Kevin McManus, who represents the south Kansas City district that includes the trail system.

The cameras, at a cost of about $500 each, will be monitored by the city’s Law Enforcement Resource Center downtown, City Manager Troy Schulte said Tuesday. The Police Foundation of Kansas City will pay for the cameras, and the city will move to reimburse the funds through the city’s Public Improvements Advisory Committee.

“This is an important step for a nominal cost,” McManus said. “And it will be part of a broader effort to look at every mechanism and tool” to improve safety in the parks.

A proposed ordinance, sponsored by City Councilwoman Katheryn Shields, is drafting other safety measures, including possible curfews overnight for several parks and trails. The ordinance is not ready yet to be heard in committee, Shields said.

Four unsolved homicides have occurred on or near the Indian Creek and Blue River trails system since August 2016.

This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 4:32 PM.