Innovative approach builds on previous success that reduced violent crime by 22% and saved the community $4.9 million
We are excited to share that the City of Kansas City, Missouri has announced the creation of a groundbreaking multi-disciplinary public safety taskforce driven by analytics from Simsi’s Risk Terrain Modeling platform. Mayor Quinton Lucas and KCPD leadership detailed this innovative initiative during a press conference that highlighted their data-driven approach to addressing public safety challenges.
This new taskforce represents an evolution of Kansas City’s already successful implementation of Risk Terrain Modeling. As documented by the Rutgers Center on Public Security in an informative infographic, the city’s previous work with Simsi’s RTMDx platform yielded remarkable results: a 22% reduction in violent crime and estimated community savings of approximately $4.9 million due to prevented violent crime incidents.
What makes Kansas City’s approach particularly noteworthy is their commitment to leveraging environmental risk analysis across multiple city departments and community partners. Rather than viewing crime solely as a policing issue, the new taskforce brings together law enforcement, public health, neighborhood services, code enforcement, community organizations, and business leaders to develop comprehensive solutions to identified risk factors.
During the press conference, city leaders emphasized how Risk Terrain Modeling provides crucial insights that go beyond traditional crime mapping. By identifying specific environmental features that correlate with criminal activity, the taskforce can implement targeted interventions that address root causes rather than simply responding to incidents after they occur.
The multi-disciplinary nature of this initiative reflects a sophisticated understanding that sustainable crime reduction requires addressing the underlying environmental conditions that create opportunities for crime. This approach enables Kansas City to deploy resources more efficiently while developing prevention strategies that extend beyond traditional enforcement actions.
Kansas City’s innovative work represents a model for how cities can leverage advanced analytics to enhance public safety through collaborative, evidence-based strategies. Their willingness to bring diverse stakeholders together around data-driven insights positions them at the forefront of modern public safety approaches.
We extend our congratulations to the City of Kansas City, Mayor Lucas, and KCPD leadership for their visionary approach to community safety. Their continued commitment to evidence-based strategies demonstrates how spatial risk analytics can transform public safety outcomes while maximizing the impact of limited resources.
For more information about how Simsi’s RTMDx platform can help your agency develop similar multi-disciplinary approaches to public safety, please contact our team.