Mayor Jones Issues Statement On Bill Passage To Strip St. Louis Control Of Metro Police Department
ST. LOUIS – Today, the Missouri Legislature passed a bill that would strip St. Louis City of its local control over the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones issued the following statement in response:
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
“There is one thing that the bill sponsors and I agree on - that this bill is not a crime plan,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “My administration and I have spent the last four years addressing the realities of crime in our city. We continue to improve 911 response times, we’ve introduced call diversion programs, we’ve invested in community organizations that address the root causes of crime, and all this has resulted in a historic decrease in crime. All this bill does is halt and reverse our progress in service of allowing a small number of non-city-residents to pat themselves on the back because they succeeded in taking away the will of the voters once again. This bill is disrespectful, it’s pathetic, and it’s cowardly.”
Further context:
The City of St. Louis saw a historically low crime rate in the first two months of 2025.
Our current (very conservative) estimates show that HB 495 would cost the City of St. Louis an additional
$40 million per year.
Mayor Jones recently released her “State of Public Safety 2025” report, highlighting the all-hands-on-deck approach that has led to the lowest number of homicides in the City of St. Louis since 2013, a 15% reduction in all crime, and a clearance rate far outpacing the national average.
Mayor Jones and Chief Robert Tracy testified against state takeover in Jefferson City.
None of the sponsors of state takeover legislation live in the City of St. Louis.
The sponsors have resorted to blatant lies in order to make their case.
In a statewide referendum, Missouri voters gave back control of the SLMPD to St. Louis citizens in 2012 when they approved Proposition A by 63.9% to 36.1%.
State control of the St. Louis police is rooted in pro-slavery and treasonous ideology dating back to the eve of the Civil War.
President Megan Green Issues Statement On Passage Of HB 495
The following is President Green's statement concerning the passage of HB 495: Despite the positive impacts of our approach to crime prevention and record lows in violent crime, the Missouri General Assembly voted to turn control of our police department over to a state-appointed Board of Commissioners.
"I want to be clear: HB 495 has never been about making St. Louis safer.
"It’s about exerting control over Democratic cities. The same lawmakers pushing this issue are also working to overturn the worker protections and reproductive rights voters approved last November. Republicans in the Missouri House and Senate are signaling that they aren’t interested in honoring the will of the people if the will of the people doesn’t align with conservative ideology. While the so-called party of small government continues to prioritize power over progress, my office remains focused on solutions that reduce crime through prevention so everyone in our city can feel safe and be safe."
Alderman Rasheen Aldridge Opposes HB 495
St. Louis Alderman Rasheen Aldridge issued a statement about legislation that would place the St. Louis Metropolitan Police under state control.
“Today, the House passed the police state control bill, and it’s now heading to the governor's desk. This is a blatant attack on our city and a slap in the face to every resident of St. Louis. This decision, driven by extreme MAGA Republicans who don’t even live here, shows they have no real concern for the crime in our city, they just want to impose their control.” Alderman Aldridge continued, “For years, our community has worked tirelessly with local leaders and law enforcement to bring crime in St. Louis down to historic lows. Let’s be crystal clear about HB 495: it’s not about keeping our residents safe; it’s about seizing absolute power over our police department. We cannot let these outside extremists dictate the future of our city. We must stand together and fight back against this overreach!”
Alderman Aldridge calls on Governor Kehoe to respect local governance and collaborate with city officials, community leaders, and law enforcement professionals by vetoing HB 495 and show that a partnership is possible.
More like this:
