Kansas City police make 13 arrests in two days at city parks for what they call sexual misconduct

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - Kansas City police said they’ve received a lot of complaints recently about inappropriate behavior in city parks.  So they have been watching it closely and just wrapped up a two day investigation that resulted in a string of arrests.

Police had undercover officers placed at two south Kansas City parks. They were at Minor Park close to Red Bridge Road and Holmes and also at Blue River Park which is close to Interstate 435 and 103rd Street.

Police said in two days, they arrested 13 men for all kinds of sexual misconduct including lewd acts and indecent exposure.

We spoke to a group of men who have been going to Minor Park for at least 15 years. The club is called Eagle’s Association and they fly remote control helicopters.

“It's just a place where we can go and fly our helicopters and we have a good time; it’s a place where we can go and get away from stress,” said Craig Courtney.

Courtney said he has noticed some of that unusual behavior.

“I was down here one night with, which at the time my son was 13 and he was asking what all the cars were doing driving around in circles,"  Courtney said. "And then he notices some adult behavior in a car. I have seen a lot of different things there are people who run around in their underwear in the park.”

Another member of the club also remembers seeing that type of behavior and his concern is the children at the park.

“Unusual activity, especially down at the gate there that's where most of the activity goes on,” said Pete Kowal.

The group said they’re glad police are patrolling the area. And they plan to continue to watch for inappropriate behavior.

“We just kind of watch the park and do our best to let everybody know, what's going on keep our area safe,” said Courtney.

The group said they have also seen poachers in the park, which are people hunting deer. They have reported it to police.

The names of 11 of the men arrested are as follows:

1)Rinehart, Stanley A WM 120737
2)Burgott, James O WM 092830
3)Lambert, Ronald O WM 061746
4)Whalen, Robert I WM 072928
5)Ferguson, David J WM 061142
6) Adams, Curtis W WM 020962
7)Mcleod, William R WM 112744
8)Roche, Jeffrey A WM 090154
9)Erwin, Jimmie L WM 110743
10) Tavernaro, Robert K WM 073043
11) Merhau, John H WM 050469