Homicides, other violent crime decreased in KC this year. Will that continue in 2019?

The killings began five days into 2018 and continued through a deadly December, as a torrent of shootings punctuated the bloody end of this year.

As of Friday, Kansas City had recorded 134 homicides in 2018 — a total that remains too high but is an improvement compared to 151 at the same time a year ago.

The reduction is welcome news. Law enforcement officials and anti-crime advocates in Kansas City deserve praise for efforts to reduce homicides and other violent crimes this year.

But let’s hold off on celebrating. Kansas City has seen dramatic spikes and declines in the homicide rate in recent years. Notably, killings decreased to 82 in 2014. But the number of homicides skyrocketed in the years that followed, ballooning to 151 in 2017, a 24-year high.

There are no victory parades when violence continues to devastate families. Thirteen people were killed this month alone.

Police have more work to do at the grassroots level to stop the bloodshed that has devastated Kansas City for years. Law enforcement officials can’t do this alone, though. A community-wide effort is needed. People close to victims and perpetrators share responsibility in combating crime and cooperating with law enforcement.

This year, gunshot victims accounted for 128 of the fatalities, and a troubling number of homicide victims were under the age of 24. Young people in Kansas City are in peril.

“Though we’ve seen a slight decrease in homicides, we haven’t seen a decrease in shootings or incarceration rates among youth and young adults,” says Damon Daniel, president of the AdHoc Group Against Crime.

On a brighter note, violent crime in Kansas City dropped across the board in 2018 compared to last year. That’s encouraging. Forcible sex offenses were down nearly 4 percent between January and October compared to the same period last year. Data from November isn’t yet available.

Robberies dropped by 13 percent in the same time frame, while burglaries dropped 21 percent and kidnapping/abduction offenses decreased by 48 percent. But assaults — including non-fatal shootings — increased by 1 percent, a disappointing development as Daniel said.

So what’s driving the nearly 5 percent decrease in homicides? Could it be more police presence, broader community interaction, or more direct engagement with neighbors who’ve had enough, as police officials suggested? Or did we simply catch a break?

The downward trajectory can’t be attributed to one single strategy. Weekly crime meetings that include Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith and division commanders have helped. Forward-thinking public policy has played a role. Kansas City police have engaged more with the public and have doubled the number of community officers the department deploys. The monetary reward for information about crimes has increased from $2,000 to $10,000.

“We’ve seen great results,” Smith said.

The community-first approach isn’t uniquely innovative, but any reduction in the murder rate should be noted and examined. People-focused crime prevention strategies work, as Smith can attest.

“We know our bad guys much better because we know more good people,” he said.

The department’s goals for next year are attainable. The focus in 2019 will remain reducing bullet-to-skin aggravated assaults, homicides and illegal use of weapons within city limits.

“I think we are making strides,” Smith said.

The causes of violent crime have been explored on these pages. Poverty, joblessness and lack of educational opportunities breed crime and violence.

Coordinated efforts that have proved effective this year in Northeast Kansas City could be expanded in hopes of putting a more significant dent in next year’s citywide totals. Homicides in the area dipped from 11 in 2017 to zero this year as of Friday. Aggravated assaults and robberies also decreased. Violent crime dropped a whopping 44 percent in Northeast Kansas City.

Police should replicate those strategies in other parts of the city.

It takes a community to make our city safer. Local leaders must continue to focus on crime prevention efforts in 2019 if Kansas City hopes to shed its deserved violent reputation.

This story was originally published December 31, 2018 at 5:00 AM.