Downtown & River Market Ambassadors
The Downtown and River Market Community Improvement Districts have helped transform Downtown Kansas City with a simple but ambitious mission: clean, safe, and attractive.
Convention District
Ambassador Services
The Downtown & River Market Community Improvement Districts’ (CIDs) mission is to keep Downtown Kansas City clean, safe, beautiful and fun. We provide security, cleaning and promotional services that supplement, but do not replace, basic services provided by the City of Kansas City and the fundamental responsibilities of property owners.
Downtown CID Statistics
Metrics from May 2021-April 2022
- Trash Bags Collected11,539
- Public Nuisance Interventions4,022
- Citizen Assists3,276
- Parking Lot Patrols2,630
- Directions2,529
- Graffiti Tags Removed1,333
- Merchant Check-Ins & Visitor Info800
- Human Services385
- First Responder98
River Market CID Statistics
Metrics from May 2021-April 2022
- Trash Bags Collected3,875
- Graffiti Tags Removed1,420
- Public Nuisance Interventions1,128
- Parking Lot Patrols853
- Human Services495
- Merchant Check-Ins & Visitor Info292
- Citizen Assists113
- Directions76
- First Responder23
Ambassador Service Map
The Downtown & River Market Community Improvement Districts’ (CIDs) operate in the following districts and neighborhoods seven days a week – Monday-Friday from 6am-10pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8am-10pm. For service please call 816.421.5243.
Safety Ambassadors
The safety team wears yellow and black jackets marked Security Officer and operates seven days a week including holidays on Downtown streets. Our ambassadors are unarmed, and act as a deterrent, communicating regularly and working in partnership with Kansas City police as well as security personnel employed by many Downtown buildings.
Safety Team Services
“Bumble Bees”
Our public safety officers patrol the streets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure that Downtown continues to be a safe and welcoming place. Known commonly as the “bumblebees”, they are the ambassadors for the neighborhood and are constantly on alert to help deter crime and assist our community.
Homeless Services
The CIDs public safety ambassadors encourage and assist homeless individuals to get into appropriate facilities where they can find shelter and necessary social services. Ambassadors respond to calls from retail businesses and building managers and patrol Downtown on a daily basis. The CID ambassadors are trained to engage our homeless clients and offer them assistance in receiving services.
Coordination with the KCPD
The public safety ambassadors work closely with the Kansas City Police Department. Our public safety staff are trained by the KCPD and assist the local precinct in dealing with thefts and the prevention of other crimes.
Partnership with KC Streetcar
Through a partnership with the CIDs and the KC Streetcar Authority, public safety ambassadors play leadership roles in safety and way-finding services aboard the KC Streetcar since it started operations in 2016.
Training
The CIDs are committed to the development of its ambassadors through year-round training through numerous programs and classes provided by our partners.
Clean Team Ambassadors
Each day, before the rest of Downtown is moving, our Clean Team ambassadors hit the streets to clean sidewalks and alleyways. Our Clean Team has zero-tolerance for graffiti. They use solvents and high-pressure washers to blast graffiti from the ground floor of building walls, light poles, signs, and street furniture while protecting architectural surfaces.
Clean Team Services
Sidewalk Cleaning
The CIDs deploy uniformed workers who manually clean sidewalks and parks on two overlapping shifts, seven days a week so that Downtown opens clean and remains clean throughout the day. The CID’s maintenance ambassadors manually sweep all sidewalks at least twice a day. All sidewalks also get a monthly power washing in warm weather months to remove accumulated stains and grime.
Graffiti Removal
The CIDs have zero tolerance for graffiti. Specially trained teams use solvents and high-pressure washers to blast graffiti from the ground floor of building walls, light poles, signs and street furniture while protecting architectural surfaces.
Snow Removal
Following snowfall, CID maintenance staff gets to work clearing bus stops, fire hydrants, all corner caps, sidewalks, and crosswalks to create clear and accessible pathways. In addition to coordinating with the City, our crews prioritize areas by taking into account pedestrian traffic and the entrance/egress of public transportation nodes.
Streetscape Maintenance
The CID maintenance ambassadors maintain a variety of street furniture throughout the district. Our crews are responsible for cleaning and repairing these elements as needed, and repainting them seasonally to keep them looking fresh and clean.
CID Leadership
Back row, from left: Mark Rowlands, Justin Tatem, Corey Scullin, Santos Ramirez, Sean O’Byrne. Front row, from left: Ronell Bailey, Sheila Tatum, Frank Jackson.
Job Opportunities
Become part of the team shaping Downtown Kansas City. We’re always looking for talented individuals to help us foster a vibrant, thriving Downtown.
If you’re interested in joining the Downtown & River Market Community Improvement Districts staff, please apply for one of our open positions below. The Downtown & River Market Community Improvement Districts are an Equal Opportunity Employer.