Illuminated police cars to deter crime, improve safety, says Kansas City mayor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Mayor Quinton Lucas has a new idea in hopes of cutting crime and improving safety, and he points to success in other cities already utilizing the option.

City council is set to vote on the mandate June 5. It asks Kansas City police to implement a new policy.

The resolution calls on police to turn blue cruise lights on patrol cars continuously when driving marked cruisers.

The mayor said the lights will increase the visibility of police patrols while also working to deter crime.

Cities such as D.C., Baltimore, Chicago, and Charlotte already mandate a blue cruise light policy. The mayor said those cities saw a decrease in crime when using blue cruise lights during patrols.

This is what the blue cruise lights look like on a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police SUV.

The change is also a low-cost option, according to Lucas, because police cruisers are already equipped with the lights. The proposed policy would not require new equipment or employees.

The resolution asks Kansas City police to implement the steady blue cruise light policy July 1, 2025. It also asks KD to provide information about how the policy is working by the end of September.

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