Eliminating residency rule important for St. Louis, mayor says [View all]

Eliminating the police residency requirement in St. Louis would be one of the most effective outcomes of the special session on violent crime, according to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson.

“I think these tools will absolutely help us recruit police officers,” Krewson said. “We’re the only municipality on the area that has a residency requirement for police officers, and for us to just be able to recruit from 62 square miles was a big impediment. Lifting that residency requirement would make a big impact on our recruitment, as we’re 143 officers short of our authorized strength.”

The residency requirement for St. Louis safety officers is one of the five provisions being considered in the Capitol as part of the special session on violent crime. The other bills cover witness intimidation, a witness protection fund, and the offenses of unlawful transfer of a weapon to a minor and endangering the welfare of a child. The bills are up for consideration in the Senate after passing through the lower chamber.

St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann, and Jefferson County Executive Dennis Gannon joined Krewson on Sunday’s episode of “This Week in Missouri Politics” to discuss the violent crime provisions.

Read more: https://themissouritimes.com/eliminating-residency-rule-important-for-st-louis-mayor-says/