St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones spoke out on Tuesday against the effort by Missouri lawmakers to return control of the St. Louis Police Department to the state. Jones said the effort is a power grab.
"We all know that this is not about public safety, it's about power and control," Jones said. "They want to take us back to the 1800s, to a time when the Union leading cities had to fight the Confederate leaning state. And nobody wants to go back to those times."
Supporters say the bill calling for state control has a good chance at passing — but anything could happen. They also claim that the bill isn't about power, but is intended to distance the department from the Mayor's views on policing.
Jones, however, maintains that city control is best for citizens of St. Louis.
"Please know our city is safer when the people who are in control of our law enforcement are closest to the problem and closest to the people," she said.
The bill passed the House and heads to the Senate next week when legislators return from break.
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