STL Mayor’s office fighting state effort to take over police department

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Mayor’s officer is reacting to Thursday’s news that the Missouri House gave final approval to a plan for the state to take over control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

“We’re going to work feverishly to ensure that St. Louisans maintain local control of their police department,” said Jared Boyd, chief of staff for St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.

Hours after the vote, St. Louis residents weighed in with their thoughts as well.  Some visitors to Tower Grove Park told FOX 2 they would like to see a change.

“If there can be improvements by the state taking over, I would be all for that,” said St. Louis resident Julie Tolmais.

Others acknowledge public safety in St. Louis has challenges but feel local control provides the best opportunity for solutions.

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“I think that those challenges are best handled by the people who are closest to the problems,” said Kevin Hahn-Petruso, a St. Louis resident.

Boyd believes state control would reduce local accountability.  He said, “If folks don’t like the way public safety is going, they now have the option of an election.”

Supporters of a state takeover have pointed to a decline in the number of police officers as a factor in their efforts.  Residents’ concerns about crime have also fueled the effort.

Boyd insists local efforts have yielded results.

“Kansas City is the only city in the United States that does not have local control over their police department and last year they saw a record number of homicides, unlike St. Louis, which saw a 21 percent decrease,” he said.

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