Public safety evolution paves way for better results

Business Journals

14-07-2025

With the spectacle of the 2026 World Cup imminent — and its estimated 650,000-visitor crowd — Kansas City-area public safety discussions have become frequent and detailed.
But such discussions didn't start with the banner event.
Public safety challenges and strategies have evolved dramatically over the past couple of decades. Beyond population growth and aging facilities, this shift reflects a broader set of factors, including how each entity defines safety for its community, evolving public perceptions, the increasing number of stakeholders that must be engaged, rising awareness and demand for mental health resources, and the challenges of a highly competitive job market.
'Today, when you ask me or members of our community to define public safety, the answer is much more holistic,' said Lori Curtis Luther, city manager for Overland Park. 'It's really about asking, 'What does our city provide that makes me feel secure?' In many of the communities I've worked in, the perception of safety and what makes me feel secure isn't always tied solely to the actions of the police department.'
At a discussion sponsored by McCownGordon Construction and moderated by Luke Deets, vice president and business unit leader for McCownGordon, panelists from Kansas City, Lenexa and Overland Park discussed evolving perceptions of public safety and the proactive changes their organizations have implemented, as well as how they're preparing for the World Cup. Panelists also described their efforts to attract and retain the public safety workforce of the future.
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Complex layers
Crime data and response time statistics, while helpful, don't have the final word in perceptions of public safety, panelists said.
'Those are critical factors, but it's also about asking, 'How safely can I get to where I want to go? How secure do I feel in my daily life? Can my kids go outside and play?'' Luther said. 'All of these factors contribute to a quality of life. It's not the responsibility of just one or two departments — it's a much bigger picture.'
Sometimes, details such as lighting and tree trimming weigh just as heavily on perceived safety. Additionally, underlying issues can be incredibly complex, such as affordable housing and health disparities, said Kimiko Gilmore, deputy city manager for Kansas City, Mo.
'If people don't feel safe and secure, and they're not living a high-quality life in their everyday activities, then we're not going to have the level of safety we require,' she said.
To understand at a deeper level, Kansas City has deliberately sought community engagement, taking a listening and collaborative posture. Past instances of local or state governments telling people what they need instead of listening, or not fulfilling promises, have fractured trust, and the city wants to rebuild it.
'We have several departments on the ground every day in neighborhoods to hear that one-on-one perspective,' Gilmore said.
A community engagement team, for example, not only holds town halls, but knocks on doors and reaches out to neighborhood leaders to find out what they are hearing and seeing.
Lenexa also has taken a proactive, relational approach, specifically fostering stronger connections between public safety professionals and the community.
'Things we've really seen move the bar are charging into some of this national dialogue around use of force,' said Todd Pelham, deputy city manager for Lenexa.
Once or twice a year, the city offers a class for the public designed to improve understanding of police work, Pelham said. The class explains how Lenexa tracks use of force incidents, shows how the human body responds under high-stress or dangerous situations, and emphasizes the importance of quality officer training. It also uses tools like virtual reality to give participants a glimpse into a police officer's experience.
'A lot of people don't think about putting themselves in the shoes of a police officer who's having to make a life-or-death call in those moments,' Pelham said. 'We have tough conversations around that.'
But outreach isn't always serious. Last year, Lenexa opened a $73 million, 115,000-square-foot Justice Center, which includes a police training and fitness facility, along with the police headquarters and municipal court. The city launched a fitness program called, 'Work Out with Lenexa Police.' On a recent day, 36 people came to exercise with 12 officers, as well as eat breakfast and form relationships.
'We're starting to see those walls come down,' Pelham said.
Kansas City likewise has created welcoming police campuses, which double as community centers, with gyms, computer labs, and community rooms, said Maj. Timothy Hernandez of the Kansas City Police Department. It encourages community interaction, as well as officers' physical and psychological wellness.
Proactive policing
While police reactions to emergencies haven't changed, proactive measures definitely have, Hernandez said.
In the past, discussions about crime typically ended with a question about how the police would respond.
'It has evolved into more of a holistic approach, where we work with the community and have the community drive how we're going to police the city and how we handle things,' Hernandez said.
Kansas City has a three-tier program for proactive measures. There's data analysis to identify where crimes occur and thus where to focus resources. Then there's community engagement, which is driven not by enforcement but by social workers, school resource officers, officers who work with mental health, officers trained in substance abuse issues, and those who help veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder or other issues. The third tier is focused deterrence. Because most violent crime is committed by a small number of people, the police department works with a broad swath of city stakeholders to engage with repeat offenders, indicating that officers know what's going on, offering resources to help, and providing them an opportunity to make a different choice.
'We're seeing reductions,' Hernandez said.
Mental health matters
Of all the changes in public safety, Luther said, mental health has the most direct impact.
A metro-wide gap in mental health providers, particularly for adolescents, 'is just a recipe for bad things to happen,' she said.
Most police departments have partnerships with organizations such as Johnson County Mental Health or other co-responders, but co-responders could be used in virtually any high-stress call.
'We are trying to thread the needle of how to get resources where they're needed and how they're needed,' Luther said. 'How do we do that in a way where everyone gets to go home safely?'
On the flip side, cities increasingly recognize the importance of proactively addressing officers' mental health — not just telling them to be tough and move on.
'I think your average citizen may see seven to 10 critical incidents in their lifetime,' said Hernandez, defining those as traumatic situations that leave a mental impression. 'The average officer can see anywhere from 750 to 1,000 in their lifetime. It takes a toll.'
In Kansas City, a wellness unit of professionals and former officers supports the mental health of current staff. Their efforts include checking in on them and encouraging time off after difficult days. The department also offers resources for physical and financial wellness, and anything else that can take a psychological toll.
'These officers are assets we need as a department and the community,' Hernandez said. 'So we're going to do everything we can.'
Mental health considerations influenced the design of Lenexa's new Justice Center, Pelham said. The plan expanded to include co-responder space. Conversations encompassed the officer experience and support offered in the building — fitness space, nice locker rooms, places for families to visit while officers work long shifts, and soft spaces for officers to debrief with therapists after difficult days.
Similarly, Kansas City's new police campuses allow space to wind down, as well as quiet rooms and amenities to make officers comfortable, Hernandez said.
Looking to the future
A long-term challenge: Finding the next generation of public safety professionals for a difficult yet valuable career.
Competitive salaries and benefits help, as does reaching out to young people, but departments recognize the need for additional differentiators.
For the past few years, Lenexa has hosted a public safety college internship program, bringing in 10 interns annually. The program offers students firsthand insight into day-to-day police work, helping them make informed decisions about whether it's the right career path.
Leadership makes a crucial difference, Luther said. Overland Park's new police chief, Doreen Jokerst, has helped shrink the number of vacant officer positions from 40 to 15 within about six months.
'Her focus is on community,' Luther said.
Kansas City, which needs at least 300 additional police officers, has dramatically increased recruiting efforts. Hernandez said his department has tripled the number of recruiters visiting college campuses. Their program includes an 11-hour shift schedule with four days on followed by four days off, assistance with child care, and college tuition for law enforcement workers and their children.
But public support is crucial.
'I tell folks all the time … our No. 1 recruiter is you,' Hernandez said. 'You know of those men and women that would make fine public servants.'
A global stage
The 2026 World Cup poses a singular challenge: a month and a half of nonstop activity with hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors. Numerous and robust meetings have involved leaders from across the Kansas City area, Gilmore said.
Discussions require complex, detail-oriented thinking. Cities want to welcome soccer fans and accommodate visitors from a plethora of countries while also maintaining their traditions, such as summer festivals and celebrations, all while offering an authentic Kansas City experience.
Local cities must prepare for considerations such as soccer fans' reactions to game outcomes, temporary housing and short-term rental policies, transportation needs, and business opportunities.
But the metro area has hosted large-scale events before, including parades, the MLB All-Star Game, and the NFL Draft.
'We can do all of this,' Gilmore said, emphasizing the extensive regional collaboration. 'We are going to be ready.'