St. Louis has regained control of its police department from the state after Mayor Francis Slay signed an executive order Saturday he said was “too long in coming.”

The state board of police commissioners gathered for the final time in a mostly ceremonial meeting at police headquarters that ended 152 years of oversight. Current and former board members at the meeting and the reception that followed were thanked for their service.

The change is bittersweet, said Chief Sam Dotson, because of the end of a long history of police officers swearing an oath before the police board. Dotson said his team is ready for the transition, and city residents should expect no changes in patrols or staffing.

The city will absorb several of the police department’s divisions, including human resources, purchasing and fleet management. Slay, who was one of five members of the board, said the streamlining will make the department more effective and efficient.

“Local control will make our city better and safer for generations to come,” the mayor said in his remarks at the meeting.