Missouri Cities and Memphis Tackle Crime with New Initiatives

Mayors from major cities in Missouri, including Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, and St. Louis, have urged Governor-elect Mike Kehoe to collaborate on public safety initiatives, emphasizing the need for legislative changes to prohibit minors from possessing handguns and improve incident reporting systems in schools. In Memphis, a similar focus on crime reduction has led to the establishment of the Joint Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, aimed at consolidating efforts across municipal and community organizations to tackle violence. This office is backed by federal support, with a significant investment from the Biden-Harris administration to enhance local public safety strategies. The initiative emphasizes a data-driven, collaborative approach to address crime and assist communities disproportionately affected by violence, with the goal of uniting various stakeholders and securing necessary funding.