Kansas City and Independence had the highest number of untested rape kits in the state, according to an August report released by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. The Kansas City Police Department had 190 untested kits, while the Independence Police Department reported 156. The third most was the St. Louis County Police Department with 79. While Kansas City has the largest population in Missouri, Independence ranks fifth, census data shows. The numbers represent a snapshot of the status of rape kits in law enforcement custody across the state. Evidence from the kits can be key to solving cases, but only if they are processed for DNA. There were 1,536 untested kits in Missouri. The Kansas City area accounts for nearly one-third of that total, the 2022 report shows. These were “reported” kits, meaning the survivor filed a police report. Another 769 kits were untested and “unreported,” meaning the survivor has not filed a report. It is a national best practice to not test...