ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) could soon be under state control again in the near future.
Last week, the Missouri House of Representatives passed a bill that would establishes a new Board of Police Commissioners to oversee the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
If the bill passes the Senate and Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, the board will consist of four local citizen commissioners, along with the Mayor of St. Louis, providing direct authority over the city’s police force.
Gov. Kehoe has openly pushed for the state to retake control of SLMPD, something that has not happened since 2012, when Missouri voters approved giving the City of St. Louis control of its police department.
However, both St. Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones have both openly expressed opposition to it.
Another person who has also expressed opposition to it is the mayor on the other side of the state of Missouri.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas knows extremely well what state control of a police department looks like, with the state controlling the Kansas City Police Department.
Mayor Lucas was a guest on 'The Chris and Amy Show' Tuesday and discussed his thoughts possibly retaking control of SLMPD.
"I don't think there is any logical reason why you would look to move political control further away from the people in any jurisdiction, whether it's St. Louis, Kansas City, or anywhere in between," said Mayor Lucas.
Lucas says even though the state has had control of KCPD for close to eight issues, the department still finds themselves facing a number of issues.
"911 call taker crisis, we need to hire a lot more officers, we had a big property crime issue recently," said Mayor Lucas. "The thing about Kansas City is it's been a great time for us. Super Bowls, we're building new riverfront, we've built a new riverfront stadium, development all around."
"Everyone in the city says what holds us back is public safety and I cannot say honestly to anyone in Kansas City, St. Louis, or anyone in Missouri that state control is a better system."
Lucas says while the relationships he has with members of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners is 'fine as it can be', the process to get on the board can become political.
"I know what they're thinking about for St. Louis will be a little bit different and arguably a little bit worst," said Lucas. "People who are non-residents could become a part of it, they're picked by particular unions and those sorts of things."
"I think, oddly enough, people say this is supposed to be an apolitical process, this becomes even more political. How do you get selected? Whose friends are you with, who doesn't like you, and all those things."
Mayor Lucas also believes that 'they are not getting it right' currently in Kansas City and he doesn't believe the decision for SLMPD to be under state control in the future will not be a good long-term decision.
"There's a reason this hasn't been copied in every American city and indeed, it's been copied in none," said Lucas. "Because the system, frankly, doesn't work for the better, and I hope, eventually, the state legislator or (Gov. Kehoe) gets some understanding of that."
Editor's note: you can click the player above to listen to Mayor Lucas' full conversation with 'The Chris and Amy Show' on Tuesday about state control of police.