In 2018, when her youngest child confessed her fear of being shot and killed by police, Kim St. Clair decided she could “either be paralyzed by the fear or inspired by it.”
She chose inspiration, and it has led to a successful small business that is designed to serve the community and law enforcement. She developed an organizational system that helps drivers share important, non-visible information, including medical conditions or disabilities—to police and first responders.
St. Clair calls the system DOC DASH. The unit securely holds essential documents and is stored in the driver’s side door pocket. This placement eliminates unnecessary reaching or searching during a traffic stop, reducing tension and promoting smooth interactions.
Each unit comes with a decal, placed on the lower left corner of the rear window, which alerts first responders that the driver is DOC DASH-trained, and that vital information is readily available.
DOC DASH especially comes in handy for drivers who may appear to not be able to understand questions and commands. It could be because of hearing impairment, language barrier or disability.
“Police could misinterpret my son as being a jerk,” St. Clair said of her son, who is on the autism spectrum.
“He looks and behaves like everyone else but gives the impression that he doesn’t care.”
The Missouri certified, minority, woman owned, and operated company, “is committed to bridging the gap in communication during police engagement.”
St. Clair has also launched an accredited de-escalation training course for police across Missouri, a specialized curriculum for paramedics, and the Protocols to Police Engagement program for civilians.
St. Clair is a graduate of Cardinal Ritter College Prep high school and an alum of Webster University, where she earned a Bachelor of Art degree in psychology and a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science.
She worked for 15 years as a mental health professional and then worked in the corporate world for two decades.
Along with building her business, St. Clair is a certified substitute teacher in the St. Louis public school system (city and county), preventionist, speaker and “change agent for police and motorist engagement,” according to the DOC DASH website.
St. Clair was inspired to design her product in 2016, she says, because she was” provoked into purpose by the repetitive exposure to volatile outcomes during police engagement.”
In 2019 she began the creative process of developing the DOC DASH prototype and its curriculum, the Method of Operation.
Among the districts she works with is the Normandy Collaborative Schools.
Last year, she advised students, “When it’s dark, we’re going to turn on the dome light. And why do we do that? Because we have absolutely nothing to hide.”
According to St. Clair, she acted after a situation in the park with her children.
“My youngest came to me and said, ‘You know why we didn’t want to play?’ I said, ‘No please tell me.’ She said, “Because we saw the police and we thought we were going to be shot and killed’ … How many children are running around with that basic fear?” St. Clair asked.
The Missouri Department of Transportation has invested in its expansion, funding workshop tours in high schools statewide to educate students on safe and informed interactions with law enforcement.
In 2022, St. Clair contacted SCORE, a national organization that supports small business owners.
She received guidance in structuring her business, managing finances and securing funding while working with SCORE mentor Greg Sahrmann. With Sahrmann’s assistance, she patented DOC DASH in 2023.
“I gave her theoretical advice. She’s really taken it and run with it,” he said.
“Being an entrepreneur is like being run over by a bus. The successful entrepreneurs don’t let go of the bumper.”
St. Clair has donated more than 3,000 units and is working on a statewide program with a goal of having information about proper traffic stop protocols shared with every high school in Missouri.
She also recently participated in SCORE’s 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition.
More than 2,200 small businesses applied to compete in the five pitch events. Contestants were pared down to 60 contenders. Leading up to the competition, participants were matched with a SCORE mentor to help refine their pitch, strengthen their presentation and hone their business plan. St Clair was one of 45 finalists.
“It allows me to sharpen my ability to present,” St. Clair said.
“It’s helped with financials and is preparing me for the next level of my journey.”