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Opinion column
by Murrel Bland
David Hopkins needs help.
Hopkins, a detective with the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department, made the plea for assistance at a meeting of the West Patrol Advisory Committee Thursday, June 23.
Hopkins is assigned to human trafficking crimes; he made a plea to about a dozen leaders of neighborhood watch groups, citing that they are the eyes and ears of their respective communities.
Hopkins said that the internet is used in many human trafficking cases. He said criminals will lure victims who are desperate. These include undocumented immigrants or teenagers who have run away from home. He said prostitutes are often involved in human trafficking cases.
Major Dustin Dungan, the West Patrol commander, said staffing in the Police Department, continues to be an issue. Presently, the Police Department has 369 officers authorized, with only 309 in service.However, there are 23 in training and nine in the Police Academy. The situation is even more critical with only 50 percent staffing among dispatchers.
Maj.Dungan reminded those present that fireworks can be shot off legally July 2, 3 and 4. He said illegal fireworks include M-80s and bottle rockets. He said the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve were the busiest two nights for patrol officers.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and the Piper Press. He is a director of Business West.