KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The
Kansas City, Missouri Police held a Faith-Based Community Forum at the Kansas City Regional Police Academy at 6885 NE Pleasant Valley Road.
The department invited members of the Kansas City faith-based community to bring ideas, questions to work with police in fighting violence in Kansas City.
Prior to the meeting, they were sent questionnaires asking about the causes and solutions to crime in the community.
The survey included the question, "How do you see the role of the faith-based community in reducing violence in the community?"
The most common response was, "Work together with police."
Other proposals coming out of the forum included clergy becoming more proactive in reaching out to families who are known to be involved in criminal activity, and find more resources to educate and keep troubled youth in school.
Pastor Kevin Harris, of New Vision Ministries said, "Be proactive and funnel youth; that may include dropouts. Have a means of funneling them to a positive environment so that we may empower them."
Police also mentioned a program used in other cities that use church clergy and staff armed with police radios to help keep an eye out for criminal activity in their neighborhoods.
