by Mary Rupert
Crime prevention was brought up at a candidate forum on Wednesday night at Kansas City Kansas Community College.
An audience member asked a question about the role of community policing in a time of increasing violence and social problems. This forum was sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus.
Rep. Tom Burroughs, who is running for the Unified Government Commission, 2nd District at large, said he strongly supported public safety officers in all fields.
“The public policing that we have accomplished in Wyandotte County allows the youth to meet officers in a neutral environment,” he said.
“Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy, we need to be mindful that words hurt as much as a weapon,” Burroughs said. “We are a diverse community, I embrace that diversity.
“We need to continue to ensure that law enforcement is met with respect, and at the same time, our community respects law enforcement,” he said.
J.D. Rios, also running for UG Commission, 2nd District at large, said he supports community policing, which is essential to a growing community, and the way to support it is to provide more prevention activities.
He said the Second Step program in the school system, a violence prevention program, needs to be supported.
“We need to model our values, our morals, and I think as we do that, that will enhance what our police force is already doing,” Rios said. “We just need to continue to be supportive of that, and let our law enforcement officers know that we are supportive.”
Victor Harris, who is running for the UG Commission, 1st District, said they should sit down with the police chief and come up with a plan where police officers are more visible on the street.
He talked about the former DARE program and said something similar to it should be created in the future.
“Find out what we can do to get the police officers back into the community,” he said.
Sarah Kremer, running for UG Commission, 5th District, agreed that they should talk with Chief Terry Zeigler and Sheriff Don Ash about increasing officers’ visibility in the community.
She said an effort should be made to get young kids to realize that police officers are heroes. Officers could be brought into the schools, and neighborhoods should reach out to officers in their area to bring them together with residents in a social event, she said.
Kendon McClaine, a candidate for UG Commission, 8th District, mentioned crime in his opening remarks.
“District 8 has had four murders in a five-week span,” McClaine said at Wednesday night’s candidate forum. “Two were gentlemen under 18, two were committed in broad daylight. It’s a lot to take in.”
Other topics were addressed at the forum as well.
Kansas City, Kansas, school board candidates were asked a question from the audience about whether the Wednesday afternoon planning time for teachers should be continued. Students are sent home early that day.
Joseph Straws, a candidate for the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education, said while he was not a proponent of the Wednesday planning time, it has been a reality for many years here.
“One of the biggest things that happens on Wednesday, from the Police Department’s perspective, is the highest crime rate, the highest teenage pregnancy, and the highest drug use happens Wednesday,” Straws said.
When he is elected to the board, he said he would like to find out why the district continues the planning time on Wednesday. He favored scheduled in-service planning days instead. It is a struggle for single parents to find day care each Wednesday, he said. Activities for students should be planned on in-service days.
Maxine Drew, also a candidate for school board, said it was necessary to have the Wednesday planning time, and a lot of teachers needed the planning time. What is needed is some activities for students for that time, planned by the community.
Wanda Brownlee Paige, also a candidate, said the Wednesday planning time works, as teachers develop strategies during that time. She agreed that the community needs to plan some activities for students during that time.
Harold Brown, a candidate for school board, said if the planning time was used properly, then it was worth it. He said some structured program that handles downtime for the students would help.
Janey Humphries, a board member who is running for the school board, said she was very skeptical of the Wednesday early dismissal at first. She then discovered all school districts have in-service training, it’s just that the Kansas City, Kansas, district chose a weekly training of two to three hours.
She said there currently are youth organizations and churches that hold programs on Wednesday afternoons for students. Some parents like the Wednesday afternoon schedule because they can make doctor’s appointments then, she added.
In answer to another question about minority hiring of teachers, board vice president Irene Caudillo said it is an issue with all school districts, and the local district is competing with other districts for minority teachers. She said the district is involved with Teaching Fellows, Teach for America and minority recruiters. The district also is “growing our own” teachers, she said.
Also in attendance at the forum were some candidates for the Board of Public Utilities and Kansas City Kansas Community College.
Rep. Valdenia Winn was the moderator of the forum.
The general election is Nov. 7.
