KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – With two weeks until the World Cup begins, Jackson County’s top prosecutor said her office is prepared for the surge of visitors and potential crime that could follow.
Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said her office has been planning for months, working with law enforcement around the metro and reassigning more attorneys to be on call so officers can get quicker guidance overnight and on weekends.
“We have been working around the clock in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, in conjunction with other prosecutors’ offices around the metropolitan area to make sure that we are adequately staffed, our policies are on point, and we are ready for whatever curveballs are thrown at us during this period,” Johnson said.
Passport holds for serious crimes
One of the biggest changes involves punishments for international travelers who commit certain felonies. Johnson said her office will seek passport holds during the bond process for those charged with A or B felonies.
“We are going to be seeking passport holds for those charged with A or B felonies, which, of course, are more egregious felonies, the homicides, the assault in the first degrees, the extreme domestic violence incidents,” Johnson said. “That’s what we’re going to be looking for to ensure that those that cause that level of harm will have to answer.”…