ST. LOUIS – Today, Governor Kehoe signed HB 495, which strips St. Louis City of its local control over the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones issued the following statement in response:
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“From the very beginning, this bill has been a sham, and the Governor’s signature represents nothing but disrespect for every Missouri voter who supported local control,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “The residents of the City of St. Louis are safer today because my administration has made difficult and bold decisions that have resulted in a historic reduction in crime. State takeover is not based in reality, and only shows that Governor Kehoe and the legislature are willing to throw out facts, reason, and the will of the people in order to give the safety of our city away to special interests.”
Further context:
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The “State of Public Safety 2025” report outlines how the leadership of Mayor Jones has led to a more than 40% reduction in homicides since 2020.
Continuing this trend, the City of St. Louis saw a historically low crime rate in the first two months of 2025.
In specific neighborhoods where the Office of Violence Prevention, established by Mayor Jones in 2022, is combining outreach from trusted messengers with enforcement and resources, homicides are down more than 50% compared to the year before.
State control of the St. Louis police is rooted in pro-slavery and treasonous ideology dating back to the eve of the Civil War.
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