KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Crime is a constant presence in one KCMO neighborhood, but people who live there won't stop trying to rid the area of violence.
The Oak Park neighborhood is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, with Prospect Avenue on the west, Jackson Avenue on the east, East 31st Street on the north and Brush Creek Boulevard on the south.
One man, Pat Clarke, spends most of his life trying to make his neighborhood safe and more inviting to families who want to settle on the city's historic east side.
Clarke serves as the neighborhood association's president.
He was the person given startling statistics by the police department at a recent community meeting.
The department says they're giving crime numbers to neighborhoods to increase transparency and work toward safer communities.
Clarke read some of the numbers to KSHB 41.
“Motor vehicle theft, 150, that’s just Oak Park, simple assault 173, homicides 14, all of these recorded since January,” he said. “I don’t remember when it’s been this bad.”More than 60 times burglary, breaking and entering happened this year, 174 aggravated assaults in Oak Park.”
Clarke says those are the crimes that get reported to police.
“When it comes down to being that village that people used to talk about, we aren’t a village anymore, we are just a bunch of individuals,” he said.
Clarke and some of his neighbors wanted the metro to hear these numbers to see what they deal with.
“It’s time to let it out, let the world know what’s going on,” said 15-year-old Rihanna Shelby. “It’s irritating, it’s annoying, it gets on my nerves.”
“It makes us scared,” said Rihanna’s mom, Sharece Shelby. “It’s every day, the shooting, the stealing cars, the hiding over there by us.”
Even during today's interview, the sound of gunfire could be heard down the block.
“What did you hear? Gunshots, it’s scary, I freeze up,” Shelby said.
Sharece Shelby is Rihanna’s mom.
“They call me ‘Mama Dukes," Shelby said. "I’m always helping, giving, trying to get these kids around here together, trying to get then to stop what they doing cause their parents aren’t around so when they come around I’m trying to give them good advice,” she said.
There's constant fear in the neighborhood.
“We see a lot of stolen vehicles, kids up and down flying all day long, doing about 100 MPH about to kill everybody on my corner, hit the kids, tear up our cars, shooting, homicides, right there where I’m at, its just scary,” she said.
The Shelby’s say they call Clarke when something like this happens.
“We can call him ten times a day,” Rihanna said. “Pat come to the rescue he’s there, and when stuff happens like that, you know he’s going to come, call it into police, and see what he can do to fix it.”
Clarke knows the problems are not a secret to anyone in his neighborhood.
“I can’t hide it, every time a kid in Oak Park gets murdered, or murders somebody. they represent this community,” Clarke said.
KCPD is working with the neighborhood and their partners.
“Those who choose to exhibit dangerous behavior where our Kansas City families deserve to live safely,” said KCPD Chief Stacy Graves. “We are empowering neighborhoods to no longer accept violent crimes on their blocks, collecting people with needed resources and services, to get to the root causes of issues.”
Clarke wants those who are ready to do something about the fear in his neighborhood.
“That’s our plan in Oak Park, with all the crime in Oak Park I’m looking for men in Oak Park who are tired, that want to do something, somebody who’s going to stand with me.”
Neighbors like Ray Wilson.
“If you have people with creative ideas and people desire to make a change, then they might need a little help along the way,” Wilson said. “Even though you know crime is around, I’ve never felt overwhelmed, I’ve wished for better.”
Clarke said he has a solution.
“All you need to do is love where you live,” Clarke said.
