Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner’s hiring of Ronald Johnson as her law enforcement liaison is seemingly a step in the right direction: the right direction being the establishment of a good working relationship between Gardner’s office and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
While Johnson, Missouri Highway Patrol captain emeritus, will be liaison to other St. Louis area law enforcement, his greatest challenge will be working with city police officers. Having the public blessing of Chief John Hayden will get Johnson in the door at police headquarters, but the actual value of that sanctification is dubious at best.
The St. Louis P.D. is a patchwork of various groups of officers who hold allegiance to particular individuals who in turn garner influence by doing the bidding of other folks higher in the established metropolitan pecking order. Though unwritten, it’s the P.D.’s well-established go-along-to-get-along operational procedure.
Any officer who has gained promotion or other favor (job assignment, etc.) within the department is beholden to someone within one of the established groups. Thus, group leaders influence members who in turn set forth the parameters of behavior of those in the group.
Given these circumstances, it’s a reasonable to wager that Ron Johnson’s new career with the Circuit Attorney’s Office will be short. But – maybe – some of his professionalism will rub-off on those he interacts with and St. Louis law enforcement and citizens will be better off for having employed Ron Johnson.
Michael K. Broughton
Green Park
