蜜芽传媒

During debate Wednesday, before lawmakers gave the legislation first-round approval, Reps. Steve Butz of south 蜜芽传媒 and Ian Mackey of 蜜芽传媒 County both said they backed the state takeover. A third Democrat, Rep. Donna Baringer of south 蜜芽传媒, indicated she would support the measure. A fourth Democrat, Rep. Robert Sauls of Independence, voted for the plan in committee.

Defections by fellow Democrats, while expected, would represent a stark break with Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, a fellow Democrat who has been outspoken in her opposition to the takeover, which would diminish her control over the department.

Backing by 蜜芽传媒 Democrats could also help Republicans undercut the argument by other 蜜芽传媒 lawmakers that the state is improperly encroaching on a duly elected official 鈥� the first Black woman to lead one of the state鈥檚 large cities.

In addition to Republicans, only white Democrats spoke for the plan Wednesday. The city鈥檚 five Black House legislators 鈥� Reps. Rasheen Aldridge, Marlon Anderson, LaKeySha Bosley, Kimberly-Ann Collins and Del Taylor 鈥� along with Rep. Peter Merideth, who is white, spoke against.

While Jones is part of the party鈥檚 progressive wing, Butz, Baringer and Sauls have built reputations as moderates.

Butz and Baringer both referenced worsening crime in the city, with people unable to get through to 911.

鈥淚 have never seen this much crime in the city of 蜜芽传媒. And the reason you don鈥檛 hear about it is because we can鈥檛 get through to 911,鈥� Baringer said. 鈥淎nd if we do get through to 911, they may not have a police officer that can show up.鈥�

She said this is important because if there is no response, the crime goes unreported, artificially decreasing crime numbers.

A provision in the bill requires a $7,000 per year聽raise for officers.

鈥淲e heard a lot of testimony in committee about the pay that police officers receive,鈥� Mackey said, adding that some officers might be willing to accept low pay in 蜜芽传媒 because they can鈥檛 get jobs for other departments. 鈥淚 think this will bring more qualified officers who do a more professional job to our city.鈥�

Butz recounted how in the summer of 2022, 鈥淪omebody shot me in the lip with an air rifle. ... When they don鈥檛 have the little orange thing on the end, it doesn鈥檛 look like a toy and it doesn鈥檛 feel like a toy.鈥�

He said he 鈥渟tupidly鈥� chased the shooters in his car, 鈥渁nd a problem that we will say is all too common and is unique to the city of 蜜芽传媒, I was on hold on 911.鈥�

Democrats said Republicans were targeting elected officials in the city while ignoring the state鈥檚 loose gun laws.

鈥淚t is really disingenuous for people to claim that they care about fixing the crime problem in 蜜芽传媒 but who aren鈥檛 willing to also address the gun issue,鈥� said Rep. Jo Doll, D-Webster Groves.

Collins said the state hadn鈥檛 adequately funded services to prevent crime such as funding for homeless shelters and substance abuse treatment.

鈥淲hen we talk about poverty being a symptom of crime, you know we have a lot of homeless shelters in the city of 蜜芽传媒 that do not receive state funding,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have some drug and substance abuse centers in the city of 蜜芽传媒 that barely receive funding.鈥�

Returning the police department to state control would represent a landmark reversal in state policy: Missouri voters in 2012 placed the department under local control for the first time in 150 years, the result of years of lobbying by 蜜芽传媒 officials.

The legislation would strip power from Jones, who has been criticized for her management of the police department, which has struggled to recruit and retain officers.

The measure, which won preliminary approval by a voice vote Wednesday, would place Jones on a five-member board of police commissioners. The other four members would be gubernatorial appointees who would need Senate confirmation.

The four gubernatorial appointees, who would need Senate confirmation, would be city residents.

蜜芽传媒 police Chief Robert Tracy, hired in December, had previously urged lawmakers during a committee hearing to give him a chance.

鈥淚鈥檝e only been here a couple weeks. I鈥檓 looking under the hood. I鈥檓 looking at strategy. I am looking at how we respond to all these crimes. Give myself a chance. Give the department a chance,鈥� said Tracy, the former police chief in Wilmington, Delaware.

Doll said the same Wednesday.

鈥淲e do have new leadership, but we haven鈥檛 given them a chance,鈥� she said.

Proponents of the legislation have characterized local control over 蜜芽传媒鈥� police department as a failed experiment ripe for state intervention.

The measure still must be approved by the Senate before it goes to the governor for his consideration.

The legislation is .

Editor鈥檚 note: A previous version of this article misstated the raise that police officers would receive. An amendment on the House floor increased the raise to annual salaries from $4,000 to $7,000.