Community forum continues on how to reduce violence in KCK

The Mayor’s Clergy Roundtable held a community forum and small group discussions tonight at Schlagle High School gymnasium, 2214 N. 59th St., Kansas City, Kan.

The discussions continued on how the community and law enforcement can work together to make Kansas City, Kan., a safer place to live, with residents invited to offer their ideas for reducing violence.

About 100 persons attended the event and broke into small groups of about six residents and two police officers for discussions.

The first community meeting on the topic was held Sept. 20.

The goal of the next four forums are to get people into a dialogue, Mayor Mark Holland said tonight.

“We know that we have too much violence in our community,” Mayor Holland told those attending the forum tonight. “We know that the majority of the violence in our community is related to drug activity.”

Another large portion of the violence is linked to domestic violence, he added.

This year has been especially difficult for Kansas City, Kan. “Our city was rocked with a great tragedy, losing two police officers in the line of duty,” he said.

Those are some of the reasons for the effort to reduce violence in the community.

Three more community forums are planned for small group dialogues. They will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Harmon High School, 2400 Steele Road, Kansas City, Kan.; 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Sumner Academy, 1610 N. 8th St., Kansas City, Kan.; and 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Patricia Diane Kane Community Center (at the Piper district complex), 3130 N. 122nd St., Kansas City, Kan.

The Rev. Bob Milan Jr., right, offered a prayer as Mayor Mark Holland listened at tonight’s community forum on reducing violence. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
The Rev. Bob Milan Jr., right, offered a prayer as Mayor Mark Holland listened at tonight’s community forum on reducing violence. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Dan Welch, left, a Kansas City, Kan., resident, chatted with residents before the start of the community forum on reducing violence. He said he was there to listen. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Dan Welch, left, a Kansas City, Kan., resident, chatted with residents before the start of the community forum on reducing violence. He said he was there to listen. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Before the start of the community forum tonight on reducing violence, people in the audience talked to each other. (Staff photo)
Before the start of the community forum tonight on reducing violence, people in the audience talked to each other. (Staff photo)

Deputy Police Chief Rodney Smith of the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department spoke tonight at the community forum on reducing violence. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Deputy Police Chief Rodney Smith of the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department spoke tonight at the community forum on reducing violence. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

People listened to the mayor speak before the small group discussions started tonight at the community forum on reducing violence. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
People listened to the mayor speak before the small group discussions started tonight at the community forum on reducing violence. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Ground rules were outlined for small group discussions tonight at the community forum on reducing violence. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo)
Ground rules were outlined for small group discussions tonight at the community forum on reducing violence. The meeting was at Schlagle High School. (Staff photo)