Kansas City, Mo., officials are brainstorming ways to increase safety on public trails following a series of murders along Indian Creek and Blue Rivers trails. Four white men between the ages of 54 and 67 were killed or found dead near the trails in the last year. A fifth body was found along Trolley Track Trail, but investigators don’t believe that death is related to the other four.
Police are in the process of installing cameras along trails.
“Cameras are good ways to deal with issues in public places,” KCMO Parks Director Mark McHenry told Fox 4 News.
A public safety committee discussed the possibility of instituting a curfew along trails, but opponents said instituting a curfew would encourage criminals to gather on the trails after dark. It would also force law enforcement to police a curfew rather than policing actual crime.
At least one homicide detective is warning people to avoid the trails until the murderer or murderers are caught.
“I would say, let’s stop the daily routine if it involves going into this particular area until police have made an arrest or until they say it’s safe,” Sgt. Dave Bernard told 41 KSHB TV News. “You can go back, but I certainly wouldn’t do it in this geographical area knowing there is somebody on the loose.”
Citizens may be able to avoid parks, but that’s not the only part of Kansas City suffering from the crime wave. The city’s homicide rate is on track to surpass its 2016 numbers.
Law abiding citizens are prohibited from carrying concealed weapons in Kansas City parks.
