Explore how a coordinated public safety approach is reshaping our city and how state strategies influence the lives of its residents. Part 2

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 Campaign for State Control


With all of the work being done at the local level, one might think state legislators would recognize St. Louis’ progress. Unfortunately, lawmakers in Jefferson City are refusing to acknowledge crime statistics and data in their decision-making. In one of the initial committee hearings on the legislation, the bill sponsor, South County Representative Brad Christ, openly speculated about the validity of St. Louis’ crime statistics, despite annual audits that confirm them.

Residents that live Downtown have reported a noticeable drop in crime since the pandemic.
Reliable and trustworthy crime data shapes how law enforcement, lawmakers, and other stakeholders direct resources. If we know the state doesn’t trust data or the experience of local police, why should we trust them to make our communities safer?


Equally troubling is the willingness to overlook data when crime is up. Take Kansas City for example, the only city currently under state control. In spite of the admirable leadership of Mayor Lucas, Kansas City has seen some of its largest increases in violent crime. In my mind, that demonstrates state control of our police department doesn’t guarantee greater public safety and that should give Missouri lawmakers some pause.


When the people who are elected to represent us dismiss facts or discredit their authenticity, it leads the public to do the same. Because while residents may not trust the government writ large, we tend to trust that our representatives are informed, engaged, and acting with integrity.


With all that in mind, what is actually in the legislation? Let’s take a look:
“The mayor or any city officer shall be liable for a penalty of $1,000 for each and every offense to hinder the Board and shall forever be disqualified from holding or exercising any office of the city.” (Section 84.225)


“This act requires every law enforcement agency in the state to submit to the Department of Public Safety information pertaining to the immigration status of any criminal offender…” (Section 43.505)


“…if a person knowingly assembles with six or more people and violates any criminal laws…shall be a class D felony, rather than a class A misdemeanor, for the first offense and a class C felony for subsequent offenses…” (Section 574.050)


Beyond establishing state control of our police department, these bills would disqualify any official deemed to be hindering work of the Board of Police Commissioners from holding any office. It’s difficult to interpret this in any other way than it forces elected officials to leave the issue alone, as any dissent could be construed as “hindering.” The bills also classify certain forms of protests as felonies, meaning residents organizing against state control of police—or rollbacks of reproductive rights and minimum wage protections—could face up to four years in prison. And lastly, they force immigrants to live in fear, as a routine traffic stop could result in detention or deportation.


In an interview with FOX 2, Chief Tracy made his position clear, saying, “I believe it’s politics in policing—absolutely. When I came in two years ago, they were looking for a change, and this mayor hired the first outside police chief in two decades, looking for that change. We met all their benchmarks, and then they came back again last year, and we met them again. So when you continue to make the progress they asked for, why are we back at the table again?”

Chief Tracy has been a staunch advocate of local control and a key reason crime is on the decline.
Representatives backing this legislation have ignored crime data, dismissed the progress made on Chief Tracy’s and Mayor Jones’ watch, and misrepresented their intent. These bills aren’t about public safety—they’re about controlling urban areas that differ politically from the state. The message Republican lawmakers are sending is clear: dissent against the state’s overreach won’t be tolerated. And it might result in felony charge or disqualification from running for elected office.

Moving Forward

State control over local police departments is not the norm. In fact, Kansas City is currently the only major city in the country without control over its police—and the results paint a clear picture. We have been doing good work here in St. Louis, and state control of our police department will set us back.

In recent weeks, it’s been reported that state legislators are planning to maneuver around the new $15 minimum wage (passed with 57.6% of the vote) and the legalization of abortion (passed with 51.6% of the vote). When the legislature and executive refuse to abide by the will of their constituents, we have to rely on the courts—putting the people who have the most to lose in limbo while that process plays out.

Over the next few weeks, you’re going to be asked to do a lot. Our municipal elections are right around the corner. You’ll be asked to decide who our next Mayor, Comptroller, and for some, who your next alderperson will be. You might also be asked to contact your representatives and let them know what you think about state control. In the state of Missouri, Democratic representatives need all the help they can get. So, if you are able, use this link to get in touch with your representatives.

I also urge you to contact the majority leaders in each chamber of the state legislature: Senate Majority Leader Tony Luetkemeyer (District 34) and House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson (District 30).

State Republicans are attempting to silence cities that disagree with them politically. This falls in line with what we’re seeing at the federal level, where Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, has pledged to “come after anti-Trump conspirators in the government and media.” If Republicans are successful in St. Louis, it will be replicated across the country. If we give them an inch, they will take a mile. Let’s stop them before they can get that far.

Public safety, coordinated approach, state strategy, community impact, urban policy, public safety measures, societal influence

#PublicSafety #CommunityImpact #StateStrategy #UrbanDevelopment #SocialPolicy #SafetyFirst #CommunityRelations #DeepDive