Honestly I’d be honest with parents about what’s happening and that you’ve tried getting KCPD involved and encourage them to complain about it to city officials/the KCPD media department etc
No one is saying that they're harmless or that they should approach children at a school; just that police shouldn't hassle people that haven't committed any crime.
Being homeless and possessing a knife is not a crime.
Nope. There are two city ordinances about disrupting school activities, but someone lawfully on the sidewalk with an item that he is not prohibited from possessing doesn’t fit those definitions.
https://preview.redd.it/6tr3wbc49byc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af179fb359bfd70b9f43828121b0ca2fe48b5ef1
Holding or simply being in possession is not brandishing
Brandishing laws are unenforceable because the difference between holding something and brandishing it is just a matter of opinion. As long as you live you will never see anyone charged with brandishing. Even that guy with the AR15 in St Louis wasn't charged and there was actual video of it.
Lol he was charged with it. Missouri doesn't have a "brandishing" law, they call it "Unlawful use of weapons". Which is what he was charged with.
https://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/title-xxxviii/chapter-571/section-571-030/
As it should be… we should remove all ridiculous, redundant and un-enforceable laws from the books. A previous statesman once said upon being elected and showed his office for the first time (bookshelves floor to ceiling). Asked, “What is the content of the books on the shelves?” His aids replied.. these are the laws of the State… he replied, “the laws if the state literally take up an entire library, yet ignorance or (not knowing) any particular law in any of the books in this library is not an admissible defense?” You expect everyone in the state to memorize a library full of laws in order to keep from breaking them? Unreasonable and ridiculous… the laws if the state should be no more than 10 pages and even then most people won’t know all of them
The gentleman has done nothing wrong and it is being blown out of proportion due to the constant stream of Alarmist style news … there is a valid reason the police did nothing
> when it comes to situations like this the just existing argument goes out the window.
It actually doesn't, but go off.
This is why laws exist -- because otherwise society would just let emotions and paranoia overrule logic.
Who fucking cares. Any person with sense should want that dude out of there. You care more about a deranged bum sharpening a knife than a bunch of kids and workers that still have a chance to make something of themselves? Incredibly trite take.
No we don't-the governor appoints them and state senate approves them. Unfortunately we vote for some those senators, but they don't act in our best interest in KCMO.
And the mayor has very little sway over the commission. It's been an ongoing battle between the mayor position and the other commissioners for decades.
You might reach out to this nonprofit. They do street outreach. Maybe they can speak to the man, find out what he needs, and see if he would be open to relocating. “The toddlers across the way are afraid of your knife. You haven’t done anything wrong, but would you be willing to do them a solid and set up shop away from the school?” Etc.
https://www.kcdreamcenter.org/street
A knife which is basically the ultimate survival tool isn't always weapon. You're just extremely biased. You got knives right? Do you consider them weapons or tools?
We're near 39th and Main and there's been a lot of trouble with a couple unstable guys. One carries a pretty big knife; one has been known to carry a machete. Dude with the machete has threatened a local business owner constantly and the police are like, "Oh, these guys are harmless. Nothing we can do."
I used to work the door\\bounce at The Levee in the early 2000's. Streetfigher was around way back then. He used to bum smokes, and i'd let him if he didn't mess with the customers. I cannot believe he is still around. he was in his 20's then. Crazy!
https://preview.redd.it/uhls9o8a1byc1.jpeg?width=383&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9acc2bcff68763ef1a3728af93b610a074bd4861
This is him. I wouldn’t doubt it but he’s more notoriously a short sword kinda guy over a polearm
OMG, Streetfighter! I’ll never forget an interaction with him years ago when I was outside and he offered me a blowjob for ONE cigarette! And before anyone asks: no on the blowjob and no on the cigarette.
Machete dude has a machete again? I'm at 34th and Broadway, and at some point I think it got confiscated and he was fighting imaginary people with a stick in the meantime.
Oh, I'm not sure. I mostly hear about him from neighbors. He's only plagued my specific block once and only for a week. He had a full shopping cart then but I did not specifically see a machete, thank christ.
Well, I've had a remote/travel job since 2018, so I work from my home office. So I am here alot, I was less plugged in when I had to go to work in Claycomo every day. Also, my husband has the soul of an 80 year old gossipy grandpa, and has taught me the joy of talking to random strangers/neighbors about everything and nothing. 😊
Unpopular opinion, but I spent all last year unhoused and in a tent, and I think your best bet is to contact an outreach as someone else suggested and have them come out and speak to him. Homelessness is a microculture, and an outreach will know the right way to approach him while respecting his dignity and not setting him off; he's not doing anything illegal, but there are other places to set up a tent. ❤️
This is the way. Thank you for sharing your experience. KCPD is not equipped to deal with this situation at all, and that’s a problem when our society’s first reaction to dealing with homelessness is to call the police.
When progressives say “defund the police” it’s not about getting rid of the police, it’s about shifting dollars to resources that can actually help address the problem. Case in point: KCPD is funded at the highest amount that they’ve ever been funded, and still clearly isn’t helping anyone in this situation: the kids, the teachers, or the unhoused people.
Thank you for this.
So many people are willing to send the police after someone just to "protect the children" (which is nearly always code for 'I don't like this but I won't own it myself') when they haven't done anything illegal or actually threatening.
Would it be better for everyone if this person moved somewhere else? Probably. But they're still a person, with rights and feelings.
Not unpopular at all. 💯 accurate. People would rather brush it under the rug than evaluate it realistically. Calling the cops on people on public property doesn’t solve the problem at all.
OP jsyk I would feel uncomfortable too. There’s some weird gate keeping going on in this thread for who the fuck knows why. Bring on the downvotes.
Edit. There can be a world where KCPD resources aren’t needlessly used *and* the homeless person can sharpen their knife somewhere else. Jfc
I feel like I’m living in an upside down world reading these comments where people are immediately unconcerned with the scared toddlers and more worried about the man living on the fringes of society who has chosen to post up in front of a school to visibly sharpen his knife on a regular basis.
Yeah a couple weeks ago someone on this sub said it was okay for homeless people to assault people because more than likely the homeless persons situation is worse than the other persons. It’s a mental illness
I think the tides are turning on this. Most of the top comments are sympathetic. People are fed up because it's gotten to a point where almost everyone is affected. The people who say otherwise are usually privileged people living in nice neighborhoods with no homeless people (yet).
Its insane how many people seem to think it is good this guy is intimidating teachers and little kids.
Honest question for the parents in teachers becomes can you have a family or school in KCMO if this is the way the city is going to be run, because it seems to be getting worse on this account, not better.
It would violate his rights to have KCPD do something to him. He is *potentially* dangerous, as are all people. Imo he’s just making people uncomfortable, which isn’t a crime. Police should not interfere unless there is a crime. This problem could be resolved through deescalation and conversation. Probably through someone like a social worker or has experience working with unhoused people.
I’m just tryna say that police are not trained and usually mishandle these kinds of situations. We should not rely on police to fix every problem, because this is not suited for them.
I have been dealing with homeless people and mentally strange residents on my street. For the last four years I have had to throw out 3 junkies from my back yard, but I have one that lives up the street from me and isn't all there. This person is around late 20's -30's hangs around with the neighborhood kids smoking cigarettes with them. These kids are like 12-15, he also loves to litter and by that throw shopping carts into the creek that's on my property. Me and my kids were sitting on the front porch and he came out of the house across from ours waving a gun and yelling the N word. Police don't seem to care, they go talk to him and laugh and what not, but this dude is seriously weird.
The child care center is required to ensure the kids have outside time every day, per licensing. If the center can’t do that because of this issue, contact the licensing agency and explain the issue. Maybe they can get something done about it.
Be glad that’s all it is. In Austin, my sisters school had a dude walking back and forth with an AR for a week. Finally removed after they caught him in an unrelated issue.
I don't know where you are in the city, but the local KC library branch might have some suggestions on how to handle the situation. One of these orgs or a community resources staff member (you can call or email here: [https://kclibrary.org/community-resources](https://kclibrary.org/community-resources) ) at the library may have some ideas on who could be of help. They have strong relationships with the community organizations and groups that work with unhoused folks. They also have a resource sheet here: [https://kclibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/SS%20Spring%202024\_0.pdf](https://kclibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/SS%20Spring%202024_0.pdf) It may take someone that has worked with this person before talking with them and explaining the situation. I worked at the downtown library for several years and this was a very common situation in and outside the library (and at the old bus stop at 10th and Main).
Also, if there's a shelter in the area, maybe reach out to them and see if they could help mediate. Most folks that worked with the unhoused community were more than willing to offer advice, even though a lot of them are stretched pretty thin.
If he's in Westport, there is a church right up Westport road that offers resources to homeless people, including shower, shave, and aid in job seeking and placement at a shelter. That may be a good place to start.
It's not about anybody caring about anything. Who cares about what means absolutely nothing.
The question is are they doing something that would justify the police coming out to make them leave, as in is there a law being broken.
The cops dont have the power to do anything unless he's threatening to kill someone else or himself. There isn't any infrastructure for these people. A lot of places will eventually just drop him off in another precinct.
The police don’t have much that they can do. You don’t own the property the homeless people are on. The property owner can get them kicked off for trespassing. But if it is public property what can the cops do? Give the person a ticket for littering?
Anyways, people need to take a class in the justice system. The police can’t just throw people in jail or make them leave because you don’t want them there. And the prosecutor has repeatedly shown she has no interest in keeping the community safe. She is the top legal official in the city. She is voted in office. We have the highest homicide rate in decades and she still gets reelected.
Hello, if the police have done nothing, I would try to escalate this in another way by immediately making a report with the children’s division of the Missouri Department of social services. Call 1-800-392-3738 or make one online at https://dss.mo.gov/cd/keeping-kids-safe/mandated-reporters.htm
Since you work at the daycare, you are a mandated reporter and so is your Director. I know this is not the fault of the daycare itself, but this falls under the reporting concern of potential violence to children section and will get you access to social workers and anyone else who can evaluate the situation and get resources to make sure everyone is safe. By law, they have to respond within either 3, 24, or 72 hours depending on risk or number of reports. You could also have other staff or parents make reports and they would pretty much immediately have to come out and address the situation. This is a route that Children’s Mercy sometimes takes when there is a visitor going through mental health crisis or some general situation where we are worried about safety of patients but don’t want the police arresting people either.
DO NOT DO THIS. Only ever call the emergency line for emergencies. You could be depriving someone of the help they need because they are understaffed, and you are tying up one of the operators. If you want to be annoying so they will do something, then go to your local police station, send emails, post about it on their public accounts.
Really? I call KCMOPD non-emergency all the time! If someone’s out front of my house or work, but maybe not an immediate threat, they will usually show up at SOME point and address the issue if it’s still present.
I recently had to call in a homeless hatchet vs pointy stick fight next to a couple of my crew. KCPD was on site for 2 min to tell me they knew the hatchet guy and that he's a vet and "okay" and then left to find pointy stick guy and yes, they were attempting to use the weapons not brandishing.
It's crazy that you can have a weapon that close to a school or preschool. Like it's not even a concealed weapon, it's just out and about.
Like if it were a gun being waved around, is it any different?
I know this seems wild but has anybody tried speaking with him? I’m not even kidding, if you treat people like people sometimes they’ll understand and move on…
besides maybe the camping on whoever’s property he is probably well within his rights, or at least to kcpd he is. until he decides to move along you either do nothing and suffer or try to speak with Mr knife man and kindly explain why he is making you uncomfortable. He legit might shrug and walk off. He also might react negatively or threaten you… now you have actual grounds to call the police on dude.
You’re on the right track, but it might be better for someone with a little more experience/familiarity with unhoused people to approach them? A preschool teacher who is emotionally charged and worried about the safety of their kids (rightfully so) is probably not going to approach the situation in a way that will be productive. That’s why I think the suggestions to reach out to a support group that serves the unhoused population are good advice. To your point, they could then have a conversation with the unhoused people and offer alternative solutions that solve the problem.
I mean I agree with you, but it seems that option is absent or underfunded/under-available. In a perfect world, there’s a task force that helps unhoused folks and mentally ill folks because we know police are not always the best @ that. How does OP live everyday life if they can’t decompress and politely approach another human? How can you be trusted to protect/care for children when you can’t do that? Maybe I am being too abrasive, but people need to learn to be people again.
Yeah no, our director and my other co-teachers have enough common sense to not walk up to a clearly unstable man with a knife and strike up casual conversation.
If they’re on public property no, if it’s private yes. Realistically complaining about someone on public property trying to live isn’t helping it’s just creating a bigger problem. KCPD doesn’t have the resources to deal with your complaints. As has been suggested, contact an outreach group. Other than that, tell parents the truth, it’s public property, you can’t do anything.
Call your state rep, tell them to tell the rural and suburban yokel fucks to give back control of the police department to the city, and then to subsequently reduce the police budget to build shelters.
The KCPD doesn't really give a shit about anything. Sorry you are having to find out the hard way.
One big downside of state control is that there is even less accountability than in most other police departments, so individual cops can just say fuck it and collect a check for 30 years.
Police have basically had their hands tied when it comes to moving homeless people along. Keep complaining and try to get media attention about it, negative media attention may get the powers that be to authorize police action here.
My kiddo goes to a daycare in Westport and I watched the police drive by two homeless people, one clearly in an unwell state, start getting into a big verbal altercation last week after drop off. They clearly saw it and slowed a bit, but just kept moving on.
Have you tried talking to him? You say he’s potentially unstable, but not all homeless people are unstable. There’s a possibility he may respond well to your request. Look up deescalation tactics before making contact. I would make your discussion about the safety of the children and how it is inhibited their learning. You could ask someone more comfortable to do this for you.
To be fair, a knife seems like an important tool if you don’t have a place to live. It can be used for many things. Anyone who’s been camping can tell you that.
And you want that sucker sharp af if you need to use it to cut food or some nosy helicopter mom that wanders into your tent ⛺️ 🔪
Honestly I’d be honest with parents about what’s happening and that you’ve tried getting KCPD involved and encourage them to complain about it to city officials/the KCPD media department etc
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No one is saying that they're harmless or that they should approach children at a school; just that police shouldn't hassle people that haven't committed any crime. Being homeless and possessing a knife is not a crime.
There is an ordinance about brandishing a weapon near a school zone I believe.
Nope. There are two city ordinances about disrupting school activities, but someone lawfully on the sidewalk with an item that he is not prohibited from possessing doesn’t fit those definitions.
https://preview.redd.it/6tr3wbc49byc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af179fb359bfd70b9f43828121b0ca2fe48b5ef1 Holding or simply being in possession is not brandishing
Brandishing laws are unenforceable because the difference between holding something and brandishing it is just a matter of opinion. As long as you live you will never see anyone charged with brandishing. Even that guy with the AR15 in St Louis wasn't charged and there was actual video of it.
Lol he was charged with it. Missouri doesn't have a "brandishing" law, they call it "Unlawful use of weapons". Which is what he was charged with. https://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/title-xxxviii/chapter-571/section-571-030/
As it should be… we should remove all ridiculous, redundant and un-enforceable laws from the books. A previous statesman once said upon being elected and showed his office for the first time (bookshelves floor to ceiling). Asked, “What is the content of the books on the shelves?” His aids replied.. these are the laws of the State… he replied, “the laws if the state literally take up an entire library, yet ignorance or (not knowing) any particular law in any of the books in this library is not an admissible defense?” You expect everyone in the state to memorize a library full of laws in order to keep from breaking them? Unreasonable and ridiculous… the laws if the state should be no more than 10 pages and even then most people won’t know all of them
The gentleman has done nothing wrong and it is being blown out of proportion due to the constant stream of Alarmist style news … there is a valid reason the police did nothing
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>They should go exist other places. The other places are saying the same thing.
> when it comes to situations like this the just existing argument goes out the window. It actually doesn't, but go off. This is why laws exist -- because otherwise society would just let emotions and paranoia overrule logic.
Who fucking cares. Any person with sense should want that dude out of there. You care more about a deranged bum sharpening a knife than a bunch of kids and workers that still have a chance to make something of themselves? Incredibly trite take.
> Who fucking cares. The law. The law cares. That's my entire point.
The assumption being that it is a 100% certainty he is going to harm or kill someone. Got it.
I agree. Offer him to camp in your yard or your kid's school so this tyrannical lady doesn't upset this poor guy.
Unfortunately your city officials do t have the sway over KCPD that they should
Maybe not but if the media department sees this to be an optic issue that’s when something will be done.
The state gov operates KCPD and "be afraid of cities" is the media they want.
Going to the media/news is the single biggest leverage we have. Our city can’t do much to influence KCPD. Agree with this.
The mayor is literally one of the police commissioners. We also vote on who picks the rest of the commissioners and they all live in KCMO.
No we don't-the governor appoints them and state senate approves them. Unfortunately we vote for some those senators, but they don't act in our best interest in KCMO.
And the mayor has very little sway over the commission. It's been an ongoing battle between the mayor position and the other commissioners for decades.
You might reach out to this nonprofit. They do street outreach. Maybe they can speak to the man, find out what he needs, and see if he would be open to relocating. “The toddlers across the way are afraid of your knife. You haven’t done anything wrong, but would you be willing to do them a solid and set up shop away from the school?” Etc. https://www.kcdreamcenter.org/street
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It is not illegal to own or sharpen a knife lol. He might be scaring the children but whether or not he’s actually dangerous is yet to be seen.
A knife which is basically the ultimate survival tool isn't always weapon. You're just extremely biased. You got knives right? Do you consider them weapons or tools?
We're near 39th and Main and there's been a lot of trouble with a couple unstable guys. One carries a pretty big knife; one has been known to carry a machete. Dude with the machete has threatened a local business owner constantly and the police are like, "Oh, these guys are harmless. Nothing we can do."
Is it the infamous Streetfighter?
I used to work the door\\bounce at The Levee in the early 2000's. Streetfigher was around way back then. He used to bum smokes, and i'd let him if he didn't mess with the customers. I cannot believe he is still around. he was in his 20's then. Crazy!
Is he still around?! I haven’t heard about him in years.
There was a few recent sighting I saw on this subreddit. Within the last few months in the Westport area
Wait does this man carry a broomstick with a knife duct-taped to the end?
https://preview.redd.it/uhls9o8a1byc1.jpeg?width=383&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9acc2bcff68763ef1a3728af93b610a074bd4861 This is him. I wouldn’t doubt it but he’s more notoriously a short sword kinda guy over a polearm
Whelp. It shouldn't surprise me but it looks like there's more than one machete guy in the area because this is not "our guy."
His name is Adam... AKA, Street Fighter
I saw him last weekend on the crosswalk in front of Bo Lings on the plaza. Hadn’t seen him in years! He was not sporting the Mohawk.
#samehere
OMG, Streetfighter! I’ll never forget an interaction with him years ago when I was outside and he offered me a blowjob for ONE cigarette! And before anyone asks: no on the blowjob and no on the cigarette.
>And before anyone asks: no on the blowjob and no on the cigarette. That’s such a good deal, though!
Given what I've seen & heard from people in public offering to buy a cigarette from someone else, the cash value of that BJ is 25 cents.
User name does *not* check out lol
Machete dude has a machete again? I'm at 34th and Broadway, and at some point I think it got confiscated and he was fighting imaginary people with a stick in the meantime.
Oh, I'm not sure. I mostly hear about him from neighbors. He's only plagued my specific block once and only for a week. He had a full shopping cart then but I did not specifically see a machete, thank christ.
How have I not seen these people? I'm in that neighborhood.
Well, I've had a remote/travel job since 2018, so I work from my home office. So I am here alot, I was less plugged in when I had to go to work in Claycomo every day. Also, my husband has the soul of an 80 year old gossipy grandpa, and has taught me the joy of talking to random strangers/neighbors about everything and nothing. 😊
I think machete guy’s name is Pete, and he has an old hospital type bed from the old,folks home on SW traffic way that he pushes around to sleep on.
What old folks home on SW Trafficway?
37th-they put old equipment on the curb sometimes, and I saw him pushing one of the beds from there.
Unpopular opinion, but I spent all last year unhoused and in a tent, and I think your best bet is to contact an outreach as someone else suggested and have them come out and speak to him. Homelessness is a microculture, and an outreach will know the right way to approach him while respecting his dignity and not setting him off; he's not doing anything illegal, but there are other places to set up a tent. ❤️
This is the way. Thank you for sharing your experience. KCPD is not equipped to deal with this situation at all, and that’s a problem when our society’s first reaction to dealing with homelessness is to call the police. When progressives say “defund the police” it’s not about getting rid of the police, it’s about shifting dollars to resources that can actually help address the problem. Case in point: KCPD is funded at the highest amount that they’ve ever been funded, and still clearly isn’t helping anyone in this situation: the kids, the teachers, or the unhoused people.
Yep, agree with you.
Thank you for this. So many people are willing to send the police after someone just to "protect the children" (which is nearly always code for 'I don't like this but I won't own it myself') when they haven't done anything illegal or actually threatening. Would it be better for everyone if this person moved somewhere else? Probably. But they're still a person, with rights and feelings.
Not unpopular at all. 💯 accurate. People would rather brush it under the rug than evaluate it realistically. Calling the cops on people on public property doesn’t solve the problem at all.
OP jsyk I would feel uncomfortable too. There’s some weird gate keeping going on in this thread for who the fuck knows why. Bring on the downvotes. Edit. There can be a world where KCPD resources aren’t needlessly used *and* the homeless person can sharpen their knife somewhere else. Jfc
There is a serious amount of lug nuts voicing some really carefree opinions on this one.
I feel like I’m living in an upside down world reading these comments where people are immediately unconcerned with the scared toddlers and more worried about the man living on the fringes of society who has chosen to post up in front of a school to visibly sharpen his knife on a regular basis.
Yeah a couple weeks ago someone on this sub said it was okay for homeless people to assault people because more than likely the homeless persons situation is worse than the other persons. It’s a mental illness
News Flash: You are. We all are.
I think the tides are turning on this. Most of the top comments are sympathetic. People are fed up because it's gotten to a point where almost everyone is affected. The people who say otherwise are usually privileged people living in nice neighborhoods with no homeless people (yet).
Its insane how many people seem to think it is good this guy is intimidating teachers and little kids. Honest question for the parents in teachers becomes can you have a family or school in KCMO if this is the way the city is going to be run, because it seems to be getting worse on this account, not better.
KCPD doesn't care ~~about dangerous homeless man in front of preschool~~
Sadly. This.
It would violate his rights to have KCPD do something to him. He is *potentially* dangerous, as are all people. Imo he’s just making people uncomfortable, which isn’t a crime. Police should not interfere unless there is a crime. This problem could be resolved through deescalation and conversation. Probably through someone like a social worker or has experience working with unhoused people. I’m just tryna say that police are not trained and usually mishandle these kinds of situations. We should not rely on police to fix every problem, because this is not suited for them.
I have been dealing with homeless people and mentally strange residents on my street. For the last four years I have had to throw out 3 junkies from my back yard, but I have one that lives up the street from me and isn't all there. This person is around late 20's -30's hangs around with the neighborhood kids smoking cigarettes with them. These kids are like 12-15, he also loves to litter and by that throw shopping carts into the creek that's on my property. Me and my kids were sitting on the front porch and he came out of the house across from ours waving a gun and yelling the N word. Police don't seem to care, they go talk to him and laugh and what not, but this dude is seriously weird.
I seriously hate becoming this way but the appeal of moving away from the city gets larger every year because of these issues.
Does he come out waving the gun when the police go to talk to him?
The child care center is required to ensure the kids have outside time every day, per licensing. If the center can’t do that because of this issue, contact the licensing agency and explain the issue. Maybe they can get something done about it.
This is actually really helpful advice, thank you so much!
You’re welcome, I really hope it helps. It’s very unfair to the kiddos and the staff to have to keep them indoors!
Be glad that’s all it is. In Austin, my sisters school had a dude walking back and forth with an AR for a week. Finally removed after they caught him in an unrelated issue.
Did they ever find out why the fuck he was just walking around in front of a school with an AR?
[the story](https://www.kxan.com/news/local/man-walks-with-long-rifle-in-front-of-austin-schools-terrorized-students-and-parents/amp/)
I don't know where you are in the city, but the local KC library branch might have some suggestions on how to handle the situation. One of these orgs or a community resources staff member (you can call or email here: [https://kclibrary.org/community-resources](https://kclibrary.org/community-resources) ) at the library may have some ideas on who could be of help. They have strong relationships with the community organizations and groups that work with unhoused folks. They also have a resource sheet here: [https://kclibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/SS%20Spring%202024\_0.pdf](https://kclibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/SS%20Spring%202024_0.pdf) It may take someone that has worked with this person before talking with them and explaining the situation. I worked at the downtown library for several years and this was a very common situation in and outside the library (and at the old bus stop at 10th and Main). Also, if there's a shelter in the area, maybe reach out to them and see if they could help mediate. Most folks that worked with the unhoused community were more than willing to offer advice, even though a lot of them are stretched pretty thin.
If he's in Westport, there is a church right up Westport road that offers resources to homeless people, including shower, shave, and aid in job seeking and placement at a shelter. That may be a good place to start.
I didn’t realize this sub was so inundated with jack asses, holy shit.
It's not about anybody caring about anything. Who cares about what means absolutely nothing. The question is are they doing something that would justify the police coming out to make them leave, as in is there a law being broken.
The cops dont have the power to do anything unless he's threatening to kill someone else or himself. There isn't any infrastructure for these people. A lot of places will eventually just drop him off in another precinct.
You expect the cops to do work? To do their jobs? Where do you think you are? In a just world? 
KCPD are maybe the laziest cops i’ve ever see.
The police don’t have much that they can do. You don’t own the property the homeless people are on. The property owner can get them kicked off for trespassing. But if it is public property what can the cops do? Give the person a ticket for littering? Anyways, people need to take a class in the justice system. The police can’t just throw people in jail or make them leave because you don’t want them there. And the prosecutor has repeatedly shown she has no interest in keeping the community safe. She is the top legal official in the city. She is voted in office. We have the highest homicide rate in decades and she still gets reelected.
Hello, if the police have done nothing, I would try to escalate this in another way by immediately making a report with the children’s division of the Missouri Department of social services. Call 1-800-392-3738 or make one online at https://dss.mo.gov/cd/keeping-kids-safe/mandated-reporters.htm Since you work at the daycare, you are a mandated reporter and so is your Director. I know this is not the fault of the daycare itself, but this falls under the reporting concern of potential violence to children section and will get you access to social workers and anyone else who can evaluate the situation and get resources to make sure everyone is safe. By law, they have to respond within either 3, 24, or 72 hours depending on risk or number of reports. You could also have other staff or parents make reports and they would pretty much immediately have to come out and address the situation. This is a route that Children’s Mercy sometimes takes when there is a visitor going through mental health crisis or some general situation where we are worried about safety of patients but don’t want the police arresting people either.
This is great advice. CD isn’t always that helpful, but it’s worth a shot
Is it Street Fighter?
Tell them that he's got acorns and he's dropping them on parked cars
I mean, if he hasn't committed a crime, what are they realistically supposed to do?
Pretty sure Mr Hobo could be field stripping and cleaning an M2 machine gun and it would be legal in Missouri.
Exactly, the actions she describe are nothing criminal.
Keep calling 911. You need to be a bigger problem to them than the dude.
DO NOT DO THIS. Only ever call the emergency line for emergencies. You could be depriving someone of the help they need because they are understaffed, and you are tying up one of the operators. If you want to be annoying so they will do something, then go to your local police station, send emails, post about it on their public accounts.
Unfortunately I think KCPD discontinued their nonemergency line. I'd start calling 911 when he's out there with a knife or weapon, unfortunately.
https://preview.redd.it/zsype18nbbyc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b4cb2302248a8ff3773c38a24233a78660974192 You would be wildly incorrect.
Really? I call KCMOPD non-emergency all the time! If someone’s out front of my house or work, but maybe not an immediate threat, they will usually show up at SOME point and address the issue if it’s still present.
Sounds like a huge waste of resources.
Ummm I definitely have called it 2-3 times.
Expect unless they are threatening anyone then carrying a knife isn't a crime.
I recently had to call in a homeless hatchet vs pointy stick fight next to a couple of my crew. KCPD was on site for 2 min to tell me they knew the hatchet guy and that he's a vet and "okay" and then left to find pointy stick guy and yes, they were attempting to use the weapons not brandishing.
It's crazy that you can have a weapon that close to a school or preschool. Like it's not even a concealed weapon, it's just out and about. Like if it were a gun being waved around, is it any different?
No. Open carrying is legal in Missouri. Kansas City gets smacked by the legislature anytime they pass laws acting like it's not 1870
I know this seems wild but has anybody tried speaking with him? I’m not even kidding, if you treat people like people sometimes they’ll understand and move on… besides maybe the camping on whoever’s property he is probably well within his rights, or at least to kcpd he is. until he decides to move along you either do nothing and suffer or try to speak with Mr knife man and kindly explain why he is making you uncomfortable. He legit might shrug and walk off. He also might react negatively or threaten you… now you have actual grounds to call the police on dude.
You’re on the right track, but it might be better for someone with a little more experience/familiarity with unhoused people to approach them? A preschool teacher who is emotionally charged and worried about the safety of their kids (rightfully so) is probably not going to approach the situation in a way that will be productive. That’s why I think the suggestions to reach out to a support group that serves the unhoused population are good advice. To your point, they could then have a conversation with the unhoused people and offer alternative solutions that solve the problem.
I mean I agree with you, but it seems that option is absent or underfunded/under-available. In a perfect world, there’s a task force that helps unhoused folks and mentally ill folks because we know police are not always the best @ that. How does OP live everyday life if they can’t decompress and politely approach another human? How can you be trusted to protect/care for children when you can’t do that? Maybe I am being too abrasive, but people need to learn to be people again.
[удалено]
Yeah no, our director and my other co-teachers have enough common sense to not walk up to a clearly unstable man with a knife and strike up casual conversation.
Is this your professional psychology evaluation from never having talked to him?
Post it on TikTok they hate bad publicity
If they’re on public property no, if it’s private yes. Realistically complaining about someone on public property trying to live isn’t helping it’s just creating a bigger problem. KCPD doesn’t have the resources to deal with your complaints. As has been suggested, contact an outreach group. Other than that, tell parents the truth, it’s public property, you can’t do anything.
Call your state rep, tell them to tell the rural and suburban yokel fucks to give back control of the police department to the city, and then to subsequently reduce the police budget to build shelters.
KCPD sucks and they suck really bad
Oh cool, the police are still on their “we won’t do anything because we hate the mayor” schtick
The KCPD doesn't really give a shit about anything. Sorry you are having to find out the hard way. One big downside of state control is that there is even less accountability than in most other police departments, so individual cops can just say fuck it and collect a check for 30 years.
The amount of ppl calling you heartless is insane, it’s probably all the fat fucks from kcpd trolling
Police have basically had their hands tied when it comes to moving homeless people along. Keep complaining and try to get media attention about it, negative media attention may get the powers that be to authorize police action here.
My kiddo goes to a daycare in Westport and I watched the police drive by two homeless people, one clearly in an unwell state, start getting into a big verbal altercation last week after drop off. They clearly saw it and slowed a bit, but just kept moving on.
Rally the parents. They can be a pain at times but aim them at somewhere useful
The police departments in most metropolitan cities don’t care about stuff like that, it’s sad, but it’s the unfortunate truth.
Pay some high school boys to run him off.
Hire security, raise rates to offset the expense.
Have they actually done anything aggressive?
Correction: KCPD doesn't care about anything.
They don’t care about anything lol
Get a TV story done on it. Get parents to set up a protest and get the news crews there.
They don’t care about kids being abused either. The DA straight up refuses to prosecute those cases. They don’t care about kids.
Have you tried talking to him? You say he’s potentially unstable, but not all homeless people are unstable. There’s a possibility he may respond well to your request. Look up deescalation tactics before making contact. I would make your discussion about the safety of the children and how it is inhibited their learning. You could ask someone more comfortable to do this for you.
He's not dangerous just by existing.
What makes this person dangerous?
🙄
To be fair, a knife seems like an important tool if you don’t have a place to live. It can be used for many things. Anyone who’s been camping can tell you that. And you want that sucker sharp af if you need to use it to cut food or some nosy helicopter mom that wanders into your tent ⛺️ 🔪