For those who want to rid the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department of racism, the endorsements from the St. Louis Police Officers Association (SLPOA) sway votes — in the opposite direction of their support.
For Alderwoman Sharon Tyus (D-Ward 1), the police association’s endorsement of Jeffrey Boyd for St. Louis Treasurer, “speaks volumes as who you should not be voting for in the treasurer’s race,” she wrote on Facebook on July 2.
Boyd, a longtime alderman, is challenging incumbent Tishuara Jones in the city’s Tuesday, August 4 primary election. Jones ran unopposed in the 2016 Democratic primary election for treasurer. However, Jones and Boyd both ran for mayor in the March 7, 2017 municipal Democratic primary election. Jones captured 30.4 percent of the vote, just 888 votes behind now Mayor Lyda Krewson. Boyd only received 2.67 percent of the vote in that race, which had seven total candidates. Tyus continued in her Facebook post, which is accompanied by a photo of six Boyd campaign signs in front of the police union’s headquarters on 3710 Hampton Ave.
“Just to be transparent, I did the bulk of the work to put Jeffrey Boyd in office in 2003,” Tyus wrote. “The worst political mistake of my life. I vetted him. I got so many other people he did not have access to to support him. I raised his money. He has broken every promise he made to me and others.”
Boyd did not respond to the American’s request for comment about Tyus’ comments or the police union’s endorsement.
In the City of St. Louis, there are two police associations that represent the police, Tyus wrote.
“One, the St. Louis Police Association (SLPOA) is composed of mostly white officers and is headed by the very controversial Jeff Roorda,” Tyus said, talking about the association’s business manager who is known for spewing hateful, divisive rhetoric.
The other is the Ethical Society of Police (ESOP), which is composed of mostly black officers. The SLPOA and Roorda have never stood with the ESOP or their own African American members, said Heather Taylor, president of ESOP.
“It would be a powerful move if we ever heard the police union come out and state that protestors, activists, Milton Green, Luther Hall (black officers who have been harmed by white officers) and some of the issues that African American officers face are valid and they’re accurate,” Taylor told the American in January.
Instead, the SLPOA puts out “racist” and “homophobic” memes, along with “vile statements about women,” she said. ESOP does not plan on endorsing in any race in the August 4 election.
“In 29 years in political office, I have never known the St. Louis Police Association to ever endorse or support a black candidate that in any way supported and looked out for the interest of blacks or the black community,” Tyus said. “Furthermore, they do not support and have attacked white moderate to progressive candidates. When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
