Kansas City, Missouri Police Chief Rick Smith said his officers remain busy despite the stay-at-home order in place across the area.

Smith said while other cities have seen crime fall across the board, we’ve seen more of a mixed bag in Kansas City.

“We need officers out on the street because violent crime here has not changed much with social distancing measures or the stay-at-home order,” Smith said in a blog post online.

Smith said in the two weeks before the order was issued, March 10 through 23, Kansas City saw six homicides. In the two weeks since. March 24 through April 6, the city saw seven homicides – an increase by one.

Looking at aggravated assaults in the same period, the numbers increased from 61 to 68.

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Smith said there have been some changes in crime rates with property crime – many of those numbers have fallen off.

“We attribute this to more people at home keeping an eye on their belongings all day,” Smith said.

The department has seen the largest decrease in thefts from vehicles, and stolen vehicles. They’ve also seen a large decease in shoplifting, likely because most retailers are closed.

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