JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri’s next governor said one of his top priorities is addressing crime and he wants to do that by putting the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department under state control.
The topic isn’t new to lawmakers. Both the House and the Senate have spent hours in years past debating who should control the city’s police department. Across the state, the Kansas City Police Department is controlled by the state, and many say it hasn’t reduced crime or made the city safer.
“I would say I feel like Republicans love to attack Kansas City and St Louis,” Rep. Emily Weber, D-Kansas City, said. “I don’t think that attacking St. Louis and trying to take away their local control of their police department is the answer or the solution.”
A long-debated political issue resurfaced following the election.
“I’ve been very vocal, especially in St. Louis, that I think state control is appropriate for that police department,” Governor-Elect Mike Kehoe said.
In response, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones promptly issued a statement, saying, in part, “Every year since I’ve been in office, St. Louis has seen a significant reduction in crime and homicides, and a state takeover threatens that progress.”