St. louis Police residency bill Archives

Missouri’s governor pleased with special session on crime; wants House to approve Gardner legislation

September 15, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

While Missouri’s governor is pleased with the special session on violent crime, he’s calling on the House to approve his proposal involving St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s office.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters on August 10, 2020 in Jefferson City, as Attorney General Eric Schmitt listens (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

GOP Governor Mike Parson told Capitol reporters last week that he will meet with House leaders about it.

“We’re encouraging them to pass this to be able to give law enforcement the tools they need to fight (violent crime). I’m not sure what they’ll do, again we’ll have a meeting with them to discuss that,” Parson says.

The Senate has approved the governor’s proposal, which would allow Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s (R) office to take on some murder cases that haven’t been prosecuted yet by Gardner’s office. Circuit Attorney Gardner, a Democrat, and the bipartisan Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys oppose that plan.

Governor Parson is also praising the General Assembly’s bipartisan passage of witness protection legislation, a key component of his special session call on violent crime. The governor thanks the two bill sponsors: State Rep. Dr. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, and State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville. He says the bill will help fight crime.

“Which creates a pretrial witness protection fund, in which law enforcement agencies can provide resources for the security of victims, witnesses and their immediate families,” says Parson.

The fund would provide security in criminal proceedings and investigations. The Senate approved the bill 29-0, and it passed the House on a 147-3 vote.

Meantime, legislation eliminating the residency requirement for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel is also on the governor’s desk. St. Louis has recorded 192 homicides this year, and the governor says the residency bill will improve public safety.

“The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is currently down by more than 140 officers, and this legislation can help fill that gap,” Parson says.

St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden has traveled to Jefferson City multiple times during the special session to testify for the bill, saying his department “desperately needs more officers” due to the surge in violence. Chief Hayden says the city has been averaging more than nine homicides per week. St. Louis had 32 homicides in June and 53 in July.

The Missouri Police Chiefs Association and the St. Louis Police Officers Association testified for the legislation, which is sponsored by State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie.

Bill opponents say St. Louis residents feel safer with police officers living in their neighborhoods.

UPDATE: Missouri House gives final approval of five crime bills; juvenile certification bill is dead

August 25, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House voted Tuesday in Jefferson City to give final approval to five bills that are key components of Governor Mike Parson’s (R) special session call on violent crime. The five bills received initial House approval on Monday.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, gavels the House into session on August 24, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Meantime, House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, confirms that juvenile certification legislation that has drawn criticism from state lawmakers in both parties will not be taken up by the House, and is dead.

“There’s no consensus about moving a juvenile certification bill, so at this point we’re going to let the law remain where it is,” Speaker Haahr told Missourinet late Monday morning, during an interview in his Capitol office in Jefferson City.

Earlier this month, the Missouri Senate approved legislation that would allow Missouri courts to certify juveniles 14-18 as adults for violent weapons offenses. Governor Parson called for the provision, saying it’s aimed at violent crime like murder. But State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, and other critics say it would lock up children and put them in prison with violent offenders and murderers.

The Missouri House Special Committee on Criminal Justice amended the bill last week, changing the ages to 16-18.

“You know I always had concerns with it. Senate Bill One came over and there was some concerns about a variety of parts. We thought it was better for the House to break them down and analyze them separately,” says Haahr.

The five bills given final approval by the House today include witness protection legislation and legislation eliminating the residency requirements for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel.

The bipartisan witness protection bill was approved today by a 147-3 vote. The legislation from State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, will create a pretrial witness protection services fund, to be operated by the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) to law enforcement agencies. The money would be used to provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

We learned Monday that a second special session will be called to fund the program. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, told colleagues on the House floor that if lawmakers approve the Patterson bill, Governor Parson will call the second special session to fund the program.

State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, sponsored the legislation that eliminates the residency requirements for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel. It has a three-year sunset clause. Today’s final House vote was 117-35.

State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, sponsors the legislation that increases penalties for witness and victim tampering. The vote was 133-11.

The other two crime bills are sponsored by State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon. The Schroer bills passed 117-33 and 103-45.

Neither the Senate nor House has held a hearing yet on the governor’s amended special session call involving St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (D). Speaker Haahr says he’s been in touch with his Senate colleagues.

“The (special session) call was sort of expanded in the middle of the special session. We’ve been in constant dialogue with the Senate. Neither side seems to be prepared at this point to move forward yet on that issue. So I think we are going to try to put these other ones (crime bills) to bed before we figure out what to do with that,” Haahr says.

The governor wants to allow the Missouri Attorney General’s office to take on some murder cases that haven’t been prosecuted yet by Gardner’s office. Circuit Attorney Gardner and the bipartisan Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys oppose that plan.

Second special session appears likely for Missouri witness protection

August 24, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House voted Monday afternoon in Jefferson City for initial approval of several bills that are top priorities for Governor Mike Parson’s (R) special session on violent crime.

State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, presents his witness protection bill before a Missouri House committee on August 17, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The House has voted for initial approval of bipartisan legislation that is aimed at providing witness protection. The bill from State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, will create a pretrial witness protection services fund, to be administered by the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) to law enforcement agencies. The money would be used to provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

The provision does not include funding. Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, tells lawmakers that if they approve the Patterson bill, Governor Parson will call another special session to fund the program.

State Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Kirkwood, offered an amendment that would ensure that funding is included for the witness protection bill. Budget chairman Smith spoke against the Lavender amendment, which was defeated 95-46 by the GOP-controlled House.

The Missouri House has also voted for initial approval of legislation that eliminates the residency requirements for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel, and has a three-year sunset clause.

State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, sponsors the bill. He emphasizes that he is a state representative, and must take care of the entire state.

State Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, D-St. Louis, urged House members to vote no, noting that St. Louis residents will be voting on residency requirements in November. Bosley notes that Hicks is from St. Charles County, and that St. Louis City state representatives are not carrying the bill.

State Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, switched her position and voted for the bill. She spoke on the Missouri House floor about Hazel Erby’s firing in St. Louis County, and notes that many of the appointees that St. Louis County Executive Sam Page wants to hire are from St. Louis City. She voted for the Hicks bill, because of that.

State Rep. Alan Green, D-Florissant, also voted for the Hicks bill. Green says many St. Louis County Police officers live in St. Charles County.

State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, is opposed to the Hicks bill, saying St. Louis residents feel safer with officers living in their neighborhoods.

The Hicks bill says St. Louis Police cannot impose a residency requirement on their officers, more stringent than a one-hour response time. Aldridge proposed an amendment, changing that to 30 minutes. The Aldridge amendment was defeated on a voice vote.

St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden traveled to Jefferson City last week to testify for the bill, saying the St. Louis Police Department is currently 143 officers short from its authorized strength.

St. Louis has had 172 homicides. Chief Hayden says six St. Louis police officers have been shot in the past few months, and that retired Police Captain Dorn was shot and killed in June.

Advocacy group “Empower Missouri” testified last week against the bill. Former State Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford, D-St. Louis, is the organization’s policy director. She says when officers live in communities and know their neighbors, they can create partnerships and strategies for reducing crime and unhealthy living conditions.

Mott Oxford testifies that Empower Missouri would rather see more investment in St. Louis schools.

Chief Hayden has testified that the residency requirement is the greatest challenge that his department has with recruitment and retention.

The House also approved legislation from State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, that increases penalties for witness and victim tampering. They also approved two other crime bills sponsored by State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon.

The House did not take up the juvenile certification legislation, which is sponsored by Schroer.

The five crime bills are expected to be debated again on Tuesday. They require one more vote, for final House approval.