KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two weeks after five people were shot outside a local “lifestyle and swingers club,” the Jackson County sheriff trumpeted “reduced crime” in the area as a result of stepped up enforcement.
Sheriff Darryl Forte said his office “created a Crime Reduction Initiative that focused on reducing crime in this area” after the Sept. 22 shooting incident at The Spott, which is located in the 2100 block of Television Place.
“Numerous reports of various assaults ranging from sexual assault to patrons being the victims of gun violence had become somewhat of a common occurrence at this location,” Forte said in a post on Facebook.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office initiative is designed to foster “a feeling of safety and security” and “to reestablish order” in the Blue Summit area, an unincorporated community within Kansas City, Missouri.
“The club has been a serious issue for several years,” Forte said. “Every division within the Sheriff’s Office has played a role in contributing to this initiative.”
The initiative began Oct. 5 and Forte said there hasn’t been a violent act reported in the area since that date.
According to Forte, last weekend’s effort included five calls for service and six arrests — five for outstanding warrants and another for driving while suspended. A total of 17 warrants, including six for felonies, were cleared.
41 Action News exclusively obtained additional details of the operation.
Since Oct. 5, Jackson County deputies have issued 44 citations and made 15 arrests, including three for drunk driving and three for narcotics, in the area. The increased presence has cleared six felony arrests.
Forte said a search warrant executed before the initiative started at The Spott resulted in the seizure of a stolen gun and drugs.
“The Sheriff’s Office will continue to be active in their drive to provide a safe environment for the citizens they are sworn to protect,” Forte said.
41 Action News Anchor Dia Wall contributed to this report.