1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I urge you to vote NO on HB494 (Christ), HB495 (Christ), SB44 (Fitzwater), and SB52 (Schroer), which allow for the state takeover of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD). It has become clear over the past few years that many elected officials are willing to go to extreme lengths to override the will of the voters and limit local elected officials' ability to effectively govern. We've seen an assault on our power as voters; with the passage of restrictive voting laws, the relentless attacks on the initiative petition process, and now continued attempts to strip control of the SLMPD from the people of St. Louis. We are vehemently opposed to these attacks. Twelve years ago, after years of organizing and advocacy, St. Louis City gained control of the SLMPD through the passage of Proposition A. Voters in St. Louis City and across the state overwhelmingly agreed that the residents of St. Louis should have control over their policing. Local Control ensures direct accountability and guarantees that communities can enact a vision of public safety. Local elected officials are working to keep the residents of St. Louis City safe by addressing contributing factors of violence, such as economic insecurity, mental health challenges and substance abuse. In the last several years, the current administration created the Office of Violence Prevention within the Department of Public Safety and allocated resources to create intervention programs to make the city safer. These programs, which coordinate with SLMPD, have been effective in curtailing violence throughout St. Louis, with violent crime down over 35% in the past two years. Compare that statistic to Kansas City, the only city with a state controlled police department in the nation, where violent crime has significantly increased over the same period. Any legislation designed to take away local control is unacceptable. What our city needs is partnership with state officials to continue to identify strategies to improve public safety, not continued efforts to place SLMPD under state control. I implore you to listen to the voices of the people and vote against all proposed legislation that seeks to limit or remove local control over SLMPD from the people of St. Louis. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.