kake news centers on a new push from Wichita Police Department leadership to change how quickly the city can close buildings tied to recurring crime, after a fatal shooting Tuesday at a North Broadway apartment building.
What Happens When the city changes the closure ordinance for repeat-crime buildings?
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan asked the city council to revise the current ordinance governing the closure of buildings where crime is a recurring problem. Sullivan and other WPD leadership attended Tuesday’s city council meeting to request those changes.
Under the existing rules described at the meeting, the department requires three strikes before it can take action. Sullivan said Tuesday’s fatal shooting would count as two of those three strikes at the North Broadway apartment building.
Sullivan framed the request as a move beyond case-by-case enforcement. He said the city needs an approach that enables action at the property level after repeated incidents, stating that making an arrest is not enough if the underlying location continues to generate serious calls for service.
What If the North Broadway building remains a persistent problem?
Sullivan said the North Broadway building has been a problem for the community for some time and has received numerous citations. He said the city’s next steps should result in either those citations being rectified or the building being shut down, while emphasizing it has been a longstanding issue for the surrounding area.
The department’s position at the city council meeting was rooted in the aftermath of Tuesday’s fatal shooting at the building, and in what WPD leadership described as a broader need to address locations tied to recurring crime, not only individual incidents.
Kake News focus: What If property action mirrors the changes seen after the former Regency Inn came down?
On West Kellogg, the demolition of the former Regency Inn — a vacant building that nearby business owners said was inhabited by squatters and was a constant hotspot for criminal activity — has led to noticeable changes for neighboring businesses.
Jake Thomas, manager of Rayer’s Bearden Stained Glass on West Kellogg, said the closure and demolition made a difference. He described fewer shopping carts left in the parking lot and reduced trash and loitering, adding that staff have been able to focus more on their work and helping customers.
Thomas also said employees no longer need to spend time filing police reports, and that Tuesday night classes that end late feel safer than before. He said he is optimistic about what comes next for the area and is looking forward to seeing what businesses can move next door.
WPD’s request to the city council comes as officials point to recurring-problem locations and the impacts that property-level changes can have on nearby residents and businesses. kake news will continue to track the city’s consideration of any ordinance revisions discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.
