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UNIVERSITY THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS OF UMKC April 4, 2011 Vol. 78, Issue 27 Graffiti Grill brightens 11Broadway 2 Debunking myths 9 Reviving ‘Cabaret’16 Player of the about Kansas week: Alex City crime Pena-Lopez Photo by Sam Towns 2 NEWS Vol. 78, Issue 27 CRIME IN KANSAS CITY Photo Illustration by Nathan Zoschke Facts, myths and student perceptions Nathan Zoschke victimized by crime, especially homicide and ag- kids in gangs? Personally, no, but I knew who they She said it was dark after her night classes in Asst. Production Manager/Copy Editor gravated assault. were. I tried to not follow that crowd.” the winter, and that several girls in her class would Eighty of Kansas City’s 106 homicide victims Herring said he expects violence in the city. carpool to the residence halls. Crime can be a problem in most major cities, in 2010 were Black, yet African-Americans only “I feel like we are in the city, so there’s going Lighting on the quad, she said, is poor, and and Kansas City is no exception. represent 30 percent of Kansas City’s population. to be violence,” Herring said, “but I feel like Reierson, like many UMKC students, has taken In 2010, homicides occurred, on average, once In contrast, Non-Hispanic Whites, who com- sometimes kids who aren’t from the city play it up. precautions. every three and a half days in Kansas City, Mo., prise 60 percent of Kansas City’s population, and Living here all my life, I’ve never been mugged or “I carry pepper spray, but obviously that only and aggravated assaults averaged nearly 10 per represented only 13 homicide victims. stabbed, and I’ve walked a lot of places. It happens does so much,” Reierson said. “I remember it day. Latinos represented 10 percent of Kansas to people who get involved in the crime.” would be night when I got out in my classes in the But such numbers are not unusual for a city City’s population in 2010 and accounted for 12 At UMKC, Herring said, it is the size of Kansas City, nor do they spell panic or homicide victims. One homicide victim was of frustrating when he sees students January-November crime statistics alarm. Asian descent. from outside the city exaggerate Crime rates in Kansas City have actually gone crime. show decrease in Kansas City crime A decrease in crime “It kind of annoys me when down over the past several decades, as they have To the surprise of some, crime in Kansas City kids are like, ‘We’re next to Troost, throughout the United States. is on the decline. Violent Crimes we’re going to die,” Herring said. “It The U.S. crime rate is at its lowest level since Monthly crime summaries from the Board 2008 2009 2010 Change makes people sound ignorant and 1973, but polls show Americans believe crime of Police Commissioners show a steady drop in Homicide 115 100 98 -15% it’s disrespectful to people who are has become worse. crime in recent years. Rape 248 276 224 -10% in the city. It makes people sound In 2010, Gallup.com, a website of polls and Violent crimes decreased 14 percent from Robbery 2,090 1,970 1.597 -24% dumb when they say stuff like public opinion, found 66 percent of Americans 2008 to 2010, and property crimes were down Agg. Assault 3,816 3,957 3,472 -9% ‘We’re going to get shot walking believed crime was increasing. seven percent. Non-agg. Assault 6,350 6,595 6,144 -3% through the parking lot.’ It’s But exactly how violent is Kansas City? Auto theft declined 37 percent, followed by Total 6,269 6,303 5,391 -14% annoying. It’s more gang violence “It’s just like any other big city,” Kansas City robbery, down 24 percent, and homicide and than someone’s going to the back Property Crime Police Sergeant Darrin Snapp said. non-negligent manslaughter, down 15 percent. seat of their car to get something. 2008 2009 2010 Change Here’s a more detailed look at crime in Kansas Rape, aggravated assault, non-aggravated as- It’s not like you’re going to get Burglary 7,467 7,231 6,902 -8% City: sault and burglary were also down 10, nine, three mugged. It’s more like you’ve being Stealing 16,463 15,937 16,560 +1% and eight percent, respectively. disrespectful to somebody and Auto Theft 4,347 3,527 2,755 -37% Statistics can be misleading However, stealing and arson were up one and Crime rates can be even more misleading, they have a mutual feeling.” Arson 299 297 326 +9% especially in a city like Kansas City, Mo. nine percent, respectively. Total 28,576 26,992 26,543 -7% The 2010 Census showed Kansas City proper This contrasts with other metro cities, which Crime and UMKC having 460,000 residents, compared with 320,000 have seen increases in crime. UMKC’s urban location has Combined Total 34,845 33,295 31,934 -8% in St. Louis, Missouri’s second largest city. made campus safety a more Growing up in the city pressing issue than at other But St. Louis only has 66 square miles. For some urban core residents, crime is an issue Source: Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners universities. Kansas City’s population is spread over more that has affected their livelihoods. For others, it’s Caitlyn Dunsford, a freshman Note: December 2010 data was not available than 300 square miles. something they see overblown in the media, an who grew up in northwest St. Louis Crime, however, is not spread out. outsider’s dystopian view of the inner city. County, said crime was an issue she thought about Half of Kansas City’s land area and nearly one- Freshman Kendall Herring said crime was winter. I actually got a ride once from the campus when visiting campus with her parents last year. third of its population are located north of the more noticeable when he moved to Kansas police when I was at the Miller Nichols library late “We worried about it to an extent,” Dunsford Missouri River, yet only two of Kansas City’s 106 City, Mo. after having lived in Grain Valley and at night. I don’t hear about many people taking said, “but when we went on our tour, they told us homicides in 2010 occurred north of the river. Grandview. advantage of that as a resource, which bothers crime wasn’t a problem on campus.” In other words, the northland’s low crime rate “We have a problem with our gangs,” Herring me.” Dunsford said she feels safe on campus, but she skews the city’s overall rate, which is substantially said. “When I started going to city schools, there Students can contact the campus police by notices a contrast when working at a daycare on higher in the urban core. were a lot of people representing the streets where dialing 816-235-1515. the Paseo. But there are also many disparities in crime they’re from. There were a lot people taking pride Blue call boxes located throughout the campus The difference in crime, she said, can be as little south of the river. in the street that they lived on, and that caused a allow students to contact an officer without as one city block. Some neighborhoods, such as Brookside and lot of our crime.” dialing. “If you literally go a block east, the difference, the Country Club Plaza, had very low crime rates. Herring, who lived near downtown, said he For more information on campus safety, check in my opinion, is pretty catastrophic,” Dunsford But other popular neighborhoods, like West- never personally experienced crime, although it out said of the daycare. www.umkc.edu/adminservices/police/. port and Southwest Boulevard, were marked as was something he was aware of. Lori Reierson, who graduated from Shawnee [email protected] aggravated assault hot spots on a map in the police Gangs, he said, had a presence at Paseo High Mission North High School in Overland Park, department’s Homicide Quarterly. School, where he graduated. Kan., said crime is an issue she is more cautious African-Americans are disproportionately “It was a city school,” Herring said. “Did I know of on campus. April 4, 2011 NEWS 3 ParkYour weekly update on the world of parking. This information comesit! directly from Parking Operations. A new garage for the future The new Cherry Street Parking Structure will replace the current Oak Street Parking Mark Linville News Editor pedestrians to Bixby Lane. Another bridge will Structure. Designed by construction firm JE Dunn, the project is rescheduled to be lead pedestrians to the stairs (between Cherry completed in August 2012. Immediately after commencement ceremonies Street Office Building and Oak Street Residence in May, the current Oak Street parking structure Hall) near University Way at the entrance to the and lot will be demolished and construction for Student Union. the new Cherry Street parking structure will Secured bike storage and secured shower begin. facilities for those individuals will be located in Everything about parking on the Volker the new structure. Campus will change to accommodate the Adequate ADA compliant disability parking construction in anticipation of structure’s opening will be available as well as three elevators for easier in August 2012. use for wheelchair accessibility. Below are things you need to know in order to The structure will have three entrances; the utilize parking starting this summer. main entrance will be off of Oak Street, with other Demolition will begin on May 16, 2011; this entrances on Cherry and 50th Streets.