The ongoing effort to improve conditions at 31st and Prospect in Kansas City, MO took a new turn last Sat., March 1, with the implementation of Operation Safe Passage.
Members of the Fruit of Islam, with KC Clergy, positioned themselves in front of the Sun Fresh grocery store from noon to 4 p.m.. Operation Safe Passage was designed to make shoppers feel safe in the Linwood Shopping Center parking lot and inside the Sun Fresh.
A flyer about Operation Safe Passage was also promoted in the community to encourage individuals, who might not otherwise, to shop at the store.
Members of the Fruit of Islam greeted shoppers and watched over the parking lot. According to the brothers, they received positive feedback from shoppers as well as messages of gratitude for them being there.
Their presence helped. During their time at the center, there were no incidents of significance.
So far, Operation Safe Passage is planned for one Saturday per month.
Brothers from the Fruit of Islam in Kansas City, MO positioned themselves in front of the Sun Fresh Grocery Store for Operation Safe Passage. 
Loitering remains a big issue at the shopping center, particularly around the KCATA bus stop. There has been discussion about moving the bus stop. 
Part of the complaints at the Shopping Center is broken fencing that allows quick escape for shoplifters and other thieves. Despite a public request to fix the fencing more than 6 months ago, repairs still haven’t been made. 
Private security at the center is being supplemented by KCPD officers to help reduce crime at the center. Prosecutions are up.
Other efforts to improve safety at the 31st and Prospect intersection include increased KCMO police presence at the shopping center.
In September 2024, a parking lot meeting with Mayor Quinton Lucas, District 3 City Councilmembers and Sun Fresh management team, brought attention to many issues at the center.
Concerns with fencing at the center, expressed at that meeting, still haven’t been addressed six months later.
Big concerns were also expressed about loitering, panhandling, drug sales, prostitution, homelessness and mental health issues, many raising to criminal levels requiring police action. In response, KCPD has increased their presence at the center.
A lot of the concerns were around saving the Sun Fresh Market. The market, operated by the Kansas City non-profit Community Builders, has been losing money for more than a year. However, they haven’t closed the market to avoid creating a major food desert in the area.
They’ve asked the City for financial help, which would free up Community Builder’s funds to help the community in other ways. Emmet Pierson, Community Builders CEO, said the organization recently – six months later – received a funding agreement from the city, but they find it unacceptable.
