A good friend launched a countdown clock towards his retirement as a deputy sheriff in rural Missouri. He enjoyed his work and praises his sheriff who keeps the department well equipped, well paid and well respected. Yet, he fears that with so few young people getting into law enforcement that his leaving puts a hole in the schedule.
Another friend retired the other year after a suburban law enforcement career including everything from D.A.R.E. to SWAT. Asked if as a young guy today he’d pin on a badge he looks you in the eye and says, “No f#%&*g way.”
Meanwhile, on the bluff beside the Missouri River the legislature’s majority party believes in Voodoo. They think passing a bill putting the St. Louis City Police Department back under state control and another essentially replacing the Circuit Attorney magically adds hundreds of officers to the police department and clears-out that backlog of criminal cases.
Of course, this crowd also believes dropping, thence eliminating the corporate income tax rate causes businesses to move to Missouri, and, forcing teachers to teach only ‘correct’ history makes kids smarter.
We are doomed.
Remember, the primary job of the Missouri legislature is to pass a budget which well supports vital programs. They get the money through the prudent collection of taxes. Associated with operating state programs rules need to be in place. And, provision must be made to administer justice thereby protecting the people of Missouri. Unfortunately, those “must do” things aren’t enough to keep the legislature busy. That’s why they get into all the “what can we do” stuff kind of related to official business.
So the concept of getting involved in city police operations and the local courts is not the problem. The state ought to set standards for policing and make sure justice remains appropriate and impartial. No, the issues are what is being proposed and why the legislature plans to act – against the people and servants of the City of St. Louis!
Put it this way: would the legislature give a damn if someone was murdered in Worth County? The proposal to step on the city’s Circuit Attorney’s powers gets triggered at 35 murders per 100,000 people in less than a year.. Or, one murder per 2,858 residents. Since Worth has fewer than 2,000 residents [1,973 per the last census] does that mean the first homicide puts the Attorney General in charge? Don’t hold your breath.
True, few citizens think Kim Gardner is doing an adequate job as Circuit Attorney. Alas, elections sometimes result in inadequate public servants. Note that the St. Charles County prosecutor had an issue with following a bunch of laws (starting with drunk driving) and the former Lincoln County prosecutor convicted an innocent man of murdering his wife despite tons of evidence pointing at the real culprit – who then killed again! Where is the legislative outcry against those officials?
Nationwide 78% of law enforcement agencies report a problem recruiting the people they need, according to the police chief’s trade group. [ https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/239416_IACP_RecruitmentBR_HR_0.pdf ] Wanna bet whether recruiting cops in challenging urban environments is easier or harder than the average?
No, the Missouri legislature’s venom towards the city can best be illuminated by State Senator Bill Eigel (R – St. Charles Co.) and his Senate Bill 658, This act shall be known as the “Fire Them All Act.” This act establishes procedures for removing members of the board of aldermen, mayor, and circuit attorney of the city of St. Louis by a recall vote.
Yes, the GOP only aims its voodoo at the diverse, complicated yet important City of St. Louis with its black mayor, prosecutor and other elected servants.
What else do you need to know?
Glenn