Why Kansas City, Missouri, plans to privatize sidewalks

Article/Op-Ed in Vox
Jan. 29, 2018

On Vox's Polyarchy blog, Hollie Russon Gilman explored the trend of privatizing public space in Kansas City.

Like curbs, sidewalks have traditionally been a public space — built, maintained, and regulated by the government — making them available for use by any citizen, resident, or traveler who may pass through. At this point, sidewalks are usually taken for granted, something we use but don’t often consider.
Privatization of that space would look very different: In Kansas City this spring, people wanting to use the sidewalk in the Westport area will have to pass through metal detectors, show identification, and have their bags checked before entering the entertainment district area between 11 pm and 4 am. Unlike public police, who cannot screen for weapons in public spaces, the private security guards can.
The aim of privatizing was to address crime. The council passed the ordinance specifically in response to an increase in gun violence over the past year in the Westport district: Between January and October 2017, there were 65 gun-related offenses in that district alone; in comparison, 2016 saw only 16.
In the case of Kansas City — where the state legislature has voted to give Missourians the legal right to carry a concealed weapon with few restrictions — that freedom to carry, at least as defined in Missouri law, is in tension with the freedom to publicly gather whenever, wherever.
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