The cost for the Missouri Highway Patrol and Missouri National Guard to respond to unrest in the St. Louis region is estimated at more than $11-million dollars.
The Guard and Patrol have been utilized to provide security in the region and assist local law enforcement in the nearly four months since the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, Junior by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.
State Budget Director Linda Luebbering released on Friday estimates that show the Guard has $6.9-million dollars in payroll, personnel, meals, fuel, aviation and communications. The Patrol has $4.8-million in costs for salary, overtime, lodging, meals and other expenses. Those costs continue to rise as the Guard and Patrol remain active in that region.
Luebbering says those estimates include transportation costs for Governor Jay Nixon to travel to and from the St. Louis region in relation to the state’s response.
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer says his and legislative budget staff will review the state computer system that tracks expenditures to see exactly how much was spent, what it was spent on, and which agencies expenditures were charged to.