Explore how a coordinated public safety approach is reshaping our city and how state strategies influence the lives of its residents. Part 1
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
St. Louis has seen an unprecedented drop in crime over the last four years. Of course, no amount of violent crime is acceptable to residents or those charged with their safety, and city officials know the job isn’t finished.
Despite the statistical trends pointing toward progress, the Missouri General Assembly is, once again, working to take control of our police department. So if crime is trending downward and local law enforcement, lawmakers, and stakeholders are working together to drive crime down further, why is the state overreaching?
In today’s Deep Dive, I’ll explore how a coordinated public safety approach is impacting our city and the state’s strategy for imposing its worldview on the people who live here.
The State Control Debate
The question of who should control the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD)—the city or the state—has been debated at length over the last three years, but that doesn’t mean this is a new issue for St. Louis. In reality, this push and pull dates back to the start of the Civil War, and the arguments on both sides have remained relatively unchanged.
Missouri was a coveted “border state” during the American Civil War—sending support to both armies from the relative safety of a neutral position. But Confederate sympathizers at the state level, specifically Missouri’s governor, were keen to secede from the Union and maintain their status as a slave state. St. Louis and its arsenal were key for both sides and Governor Jackson was determined to keep it out of President Lincoln’s hands.
To keep those resources out of the hands of the Union, Governor Jackson landed on state control of the police. By controlling the police department, the Governor could direct those resources as he saw fit. That year, Jefferson City established a five-person Board of Police Commissioners to oversee SLMPD. Four members were appointed by the governor directly; the fifth was the mayor of St. Louis.
It remained this way until 2012 when the people of Missouri voted to place SLMPD back under local control. Interest in the issue remained low until 2021 when the idea began making rounds in Jefferson City. At the time, Governor Parson—a former law enforcement officer himself—was opposed to the idea, meaning any state control bill that did pass was doomed once it hit his desk. That changed in November of 2024 with the election of Governor Kehoe, a native St. Louisan who made state control of SLMPD a top priority.
In the last few weeks, bills in the State House and Senate have been making their way through the legislative process. Despite intense resistance from some St. Louis politicians, the bills’ sponsors have not been compelled. St. Louis Police Chief Tracy’s experience and hard work have been ignored. Facts illustrating a decline in homicides and youth violence have been described as a “PR campaign” by at least one member of the House.
In short, facts and data don’t matter to state Republicans—control does.
Today, we are on the verge of losing control of SLMPD once again, despite the progress we’ve made over the last 10 years. In this issue of Deep Dive, I’ll speak to the reality on the ground in St. Louis, our plans to sustain the momentum we’ve built, and the broader implications of the state’s actions.
The Impacts of Local ControlOn both sides of the debate, much has been said about crime and public safety in St. Louis City. And we should be talking about it. Crime is a hot-button issue, and for many residents, it is their primary concern when deciding whether or not to live in the City. But what you won’t hear from sensational headlines and social media trolls is that crime is trending down, not up.
The new Public Safety Answering Point broke ground late last year and is set to be completed in 2026.
Today, under the leadership of Mayor Jones, Chief Tracy, and Circuit Attorney Gore, St. Louis is experiencing its lowest levels of violent crime since 2013. It’s valid and understandable for residents to be concerned when they hear stories or watch the nightly news. However, while no amount of violent crime is acceptable, it’s important to remember that two things can be true: people are still affected by crime and crime overall is trending downward. Similarly, city officials can acknowledge the progress we’re making while still doing the work to improve these trends.
Over the next year, residents can expect the return of automated traffic enforcement cameras—tackling the steep increase of traffic violence we’ve seen since the pandemic. Late last year, the City fully funded and broke ground on a new Public Safety Answering Point; expected to be complete in 2026, the new dispatch center will house all emergency service dispatchers under one roof, lowering response times. And just a few weeks ago, the Board of Aldermen approved 7% raises for emergency responders, including the police, to help retain and attract officers.
While supporting SLMPD officers and investing in crime response technology are the most visible strategies that address crime, it’s equally important to invest in crime prevention. In 2022, Mayor Jones established the Office of Violence Prevention to conduct outreach in high-incident neighborhoods and direct funding to community organizations whose work reduces youth violence. In its first year, the OVP contributed to a 21% reduction in overall crime. And late last year, Mayor Jones announced the initiative Save Lives Now, which conducts street outreach to young people identified as high-risk.
Together, crime-prevention initiatives, local policies, and traditional law enforcement techniques are driving positive trends in our city. And while that’s true, I also understand that people’s perception of crime isn’t solely based on statistics. In part, those perceptions are based on personal experiences, local news coverage, and—of course—politics.
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