In the first of four discussions as part of our town hall meeting about statewide ballot issues we take a look at Proposition A, concerning local control of the City of St. Louis police department.

Host Don Marsh talks with Jeff Rainford, Mayor Francis Slay’s Chief of Staff for the City of St. Louis, and John Chasnoff, Program Director for the ACLU of Eastern Missouri. Rainford supports Proposition A while Chasnoff opposes it.

Official Ballot Title: (source: Missouri Secretary of State website)

Shall Missouri law be amended to:

allow any city not within a county (the City of St. Louis) the option of transferring certain obligations and control of the city’s police force from the board of police commissioners currently appointed by the governor to the city and establishing a municipal police force;

establish certain procedures and requirements for governing such a municipal police force including residency, rank, salary, benefits, insurance, and pension; and

prohibit retaliation against any employee of such municipal police force who reports conduct believed to be illegal to a superior, government agency, or the press?

State governmental entities estimated savings will eventually be up to $500,000 annually. Local governmental entities estimated annual potential savings of $3.5 million; however, consolidation decisions with an unknown outcome may result in the savings being more or less than estimated.

The event is sponsored by Beyond November, a collaboration of St. Louis Public Radio, the Nine Network of Public Media and the St. Louis Beacon along with FOCUS St. Louis®