Missouri will oversee two police departments – Kansas City and soon, St. Louis.
Gov. Mike Kehoe has signed an anti-crime package into law today that will form a state board to watch over the St. Louis Police Department. The six-member board will consist of the St. Louis mayor and city residents. It will also have a nonvoting member who could live in St. Louis County.
The police department switch is one of Kehoe’s top legislative priorities. He grew up in a rough part of St. Louis and has several family members who have served within the police department.
There have been complaints from Republican leaders in recent years about crime rates in St. Louis and the lack of criminal prosecutions under former Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who resigned last year. That contributed to a renewed push for the state to retake control of the St. Louis Police Department.
“It’s a big win for public safety and it’s a big win for the future of our state,” Kehoe said after today’s bill signing at the Missouri Capitol. “You can’t legislate lower crime. But what you can do is give law enforcement the tools that it takes.”
The police department was under state control for more than a century, dating back to the Civil War, before Missouri voters in 2012 approved a statute returning control to the city.
How will success of the bill be measured?
“Success of this bill will be measured by investment back into the city,” said Kehoe. “You can look at a lot of statistics of what crime does in various parts of the country and in our state, certainly. But in St. Louis City specifically, as we see businesses continue to expand there, move there, invest there, that’s going to be the barometer that we are going to watch.”
Rep. Brad Christ, R-St. Louis, sponsored the plan that will also boost penalties against organized crime groups that ransack retail and grocery stores. Referred to as organized retail theft, the crimes have taken a big bite out of profits for many Missouri businesses.
“Today, I am proud to say that the days of defunding the police and decimating our cities are no more,” said Christ. “And today is the first step – and it’s not the silver bullet. We have many challenges ahead. I truly believe it’s the beginning of the ascent of St. Louis of what it was, and what it can become.”
Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, steered the bill through the Senate. He grew up in Ferguson.
“There was a promise that we made coming into this year to voters – that we would make Missouri safe again, by making St. Louis safe again. And today, with the signing of this bill, we are going to make true on that promise. This is a step in the right direction, a leap in the right direction. But there’s so much more that we have to do to rebuild this community,” said Schroer.
Sen. Travis Fitzwater, R-Holts Summit, represents part of St. Charles County.
“The loss of population and businesses in St. Louis City is not sustainable,” said Fitzwater. “It’s not for our state, it’s not for our economy, it’s not for her people. And so, this was the priority all along for me.”
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said the state will provide legal defense to St. Louis police officers in future work-related lawsuits.
Other provisions of the crime plan will:
- Require law enforcement to report the immigration status of suspects arrested for certain crimes
- Allow victims who’ve filed restraining orders to be immediately notified when the offender being electronically monitored crosses prohibited boundaries
- Ban street racing and stunt driving
- Prohibit the use of restraints on pregnant jail inmates in their third trimester, with exceptions
- Create a fund for the state to repay exonerated prisoners
- Launch the “Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force”
For more information on House Bill 495, click here.
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