JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Rep. Kevin Corlew, R-Kansas City, has filed a bill aimed at lowering violent crime in Kansas City, and it has endorsement from some of the largest names in Missouri politics
The Armed Offender Docket Pilot Project would give the Jackson County Circuit Court the ability to create a separate docket for gun crimes.
“This process would ensure that violent-offense cases are processed quickly and addressed with specialized knowledge,” Corlew said in a statement. “Cities that use these specialized courts have seen good results: the length of cases has been shortened and caseloads have thus been reduced, conviction rates have gone up, and recidivism rates have gone down.”
Kansas City Mayor Sly James has also announced his support for the legislation, especially after 2015 saw one of the deadliest years in the city with 109 homicides. More than 80 percent of those homicides were performed with a firearm.
While the local initiative like the Kansas City No Violence Alliance (KC NoVA) have been instituted by James to tighten down on violence in the city, the mayor says bills like Corlew’s will help.
“Adding the courts and an armed offender docket to the KC NoVA collaboration of law enforcement, prosecution, and social services will enable all the elements of the criminal justice system to finally work together to address the scourge of gun violence in our community. I appreciate Rep. Corlew’s efforts to help focus all available resources on this important issue.”
Kansas City Police Chief Darryl Forte agreed.
“We support any initiative that would help us reduce gun violence in Kansas City, Missouri,” he said, adding “If an armed offender docket could allow us to better identify risk factors that lead to violent crime and get firearms away from people who use them to harm others, then it would improve the safety of our community.”
Attorney General and Democratic candidate for governor Chris Koster has also expressed his own support for the bill.
“I thank Rep. Corlew for his work on this important public safety project,” said Koster in a statement. “Establishing an armed offender docket was a key recommendation of my 2013 Urban Crime Summit. A gun docket allows courts to focus on swift and meaningful consequences for weapons offenses. Jackson County simply cannot afford to coddle armed criminals.”
The bill was assigned to the House Civil and Criminal Proceedings Committee, and is currently under consideration.
