St. Louis could lose control of its police to a state-appointed board under Missouri bill
Source: Associated Press
St. Louis could lose control of its police to a state-appointed board under Missouri bill
By SUMMER BALLENTINE
Updated 5:03 PM EDT, March 12, 2025
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — St. Louis would lose control over its police force under a bill Missouri lawmakers approved Wednesday, possibly joining a few cities nationally where local elected officials don’t fully manage law enforcement.
The measure would grant Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe the power to appoint four voting members to a new St. Louis police board, all of whom must be city residents. The mayor, currently Democrat Tishaura Jones, would also serve on the board.
Kehoe in a Wednesday statement said he looks forward to seeing the bill on his desk and praised lawmakers for “prioritizing public safety.”
If enacted, the measure will make St. Louis one of very few major U.S. cities that do not manage their own police departments. Most, if not all, are Democratic led, made up of mostly minorities or are otherwise racially diverse.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/police-state-control-st-louis-c7e18d243c0a3bd2adfb7dad2c28753a
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