The phrase “Take It To Zero” came about when Ron Osborn spoke to a public official in the Jackson County D.A.’s office, soon after Robert’s murder. In the conversation, the official asked, “What would you like to see done?” Ron replied, “No homicides.” With a bewildered look, Ron understood that he was potentially suggesting an impossible task. Ron offered this: “We might not make it to zero, but maybe on the way we could save some lives.”
Thus the creation of “Take it to Zero.” Our goal is to implement a program to establish a “safe streets, safe city” agenda that radically reduces the amount of violent crime on Kansas City streets. In a safe city, businesses prosper and communities grow. Citizens can pursue day-to-day activities without fear of victimization. In our plan, reducing the incidents of crime and disorder becomes an essential component of producing a safe environment.
Take It To Zero synthesizes proven anti-crime strategies and discussions with local government officials. A safe Kansas City literally starts one block at a time. Security is a fundamental right. It is time to take action.
Take It To Zero by demanding action from your civic leaders!
• Promote the rights of citizens
• Envision a greatly reduced crime rate
• Focus on “quality of life” crimes
• Encourage citizen participation
• Increase police visibility
• Remove known criminals from the sreets
• Target high-risk crime areas
Take It To Zero begins with adjusting attitudes Steps to the eradication of victimization in Kansas City:
• Practice ZERO TOLERANCE in all aspects of policing. This involves a “broken windows” approach to fighting crime
• Set goals. Adopt the International City Manager Association (ICMA) average benchmarks for crime as a standard for Kansas City.
• Remove known criminals. Conduct frequent arrest sweeps of warrant and parole violators. Behavior that does not adhere to the core values of society need to be eradicated.
• Target more resources to high-risk areas. Deploy resources according to demand.
• Encourage citizen participation. Keep neighborhoods safe with citizen involvement. Citizens need to report crime and supply evidence.