One of my top priorities as mayor is to ensure that our community is a safe place to live and to raise a family – regardless of your zip code.

For far too long, Kansas City has lacked a strategic, long-term plan to stop violent crime. My administration is committed to combatting violent crime; as such, we regularly convene the community, law enforcement and civic leaders to strengthen ties and open the lines of communication that make our neighborhoods safer.

As a member of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, I am working to ensure that our law enforcement officers have the resources they need to do their jobs effectively. It’s also imperative that our police force be representative of the diverse nature of Kansas City, and I continue to work with law enforcement leaders to continue building a diverse and well-trained police force.

In addition to two major gun-reform ordinances I sponsored that overwhelmingly passed City Council, we are working to reform municipal incarceration and to make sure violations are focused on protecting the public from criminal activity.

We’re also working to rejuvenate or remove abandoned buildings, which can help create jobs and economic growth, while eliminating the space where crime often begins.