St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden on Wednesday announced his retirement after approximately four years as chief. He will step down Feb. 23, the day marking his 35th anniversary with the department.
“Keep in mind that February is five months from now, so I still plan to serve faithfully until then, but I thought it was important to let the mayor and the director of public safety know of my intention at this time, so that they would have an opportunity to seek out a suitable successor,” Hayden said at a City Hall press conference.
“This decision was carefully and prayerfully considered by myself and my family and we all believe that it is time for me to pass the proverbial baton.”
“I want everyone to know that serving as the 35th police chief of the city of St. Louis has been an honor of a lifetime.” — Police Chief John Hayden
Hayden was met with a host of challenges as chief, including a record-breaking homicide rate in 2020, a pandemic and several high-profile incidents including: three white police officers charged with beating a handcuffed Black detective, Luther Hall; the death of officer Katlyn Alix who was shot and killed by fellow officer Nathaniel Hendren while he was on duty in January 2019; and local protests in summer 2020 over the shooting death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
His announcement comes less than two weeks after St. Louis County Police Chief Mary Barton resigned after 16 months of addressing allegations of a racist culture within the agency.
During the mayoral election, Jones was asked during a debate if, as mayor, she would interview Hayden to ensure he was the right person to continue leading the department.
“Everything is on the table, every position is on the table, there are no sacred cows here,” Jones said at the time.
The mayor said the nationwide search for Hayden’s successor will start immediately and will “focus on individuals who are experienced in 21st-century policing methods.” Jones intends to make the process transparent, with two public listening sessions in October, a survey for residents to voice their opinions and a town hall.
On Wednesday, the mayor took to the podium and said she was surprised when Hayden told her that he was retiring. She noted he had been an ally in her administration’s effort to re-envision policing in the city.
The mayor said the nationwide search for Hayden’s successor will start immediately and will “focus on individuals who are experienced in 21st-century policing methods.” Jones intends to make the process transparent, with two public listening sessions in October, a survey for residents to voice their opinions and a town hall.
She said she hopes to collaborate with St. Louis County Executive Sam Page as both leaders search for new law enforcement heads.
“We’re looking forward to hearing from the community about their vision for the next police chief,” she said. “We’re taking lessons learned from the previous search and applying them here. We want this to be as smooth a transition as possible while hiring the most qualified person for the job that St. Louisans deserve.”
Hayden was appointed as the department’s 35th chief by former Mayor Lyda Krewson in December 2017, a few months after protests erupted in the city following the acquittal of former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley in the shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith. Hayden’s predecessor, Chief Sam Dotson, retired abruptly on Krewson’s first day as mayor.
On Wednesday, Jones said Hayden has contributed to her administration’s efforts to address root causes of crime in the city of St. Louis, reallocate funds to critical services like affordable housing, improve 911 response times and connect mental health professionals to the right emergency call.
“I want everyone to know that serving as the 35th police chief of the City of St. Louis has been an honor of a lifetime,” Hayden said.
Det. John Leggette, chaplain of the Ethical Society of Police, spoke during the press conference. He said the organization wished him all the best in his retirement.
“When Chief Hayden was appointed we issued our public support, yet stated we would hold him accountable for our community and for our officers,” Leggette said. “We will do the same and hold true for the next chief of police, who undoubtedly has a complex job ahead of him or her.”
After Hayden’s announcement, ESOP released a statement noting the next chief of Missouri’s second-largest police force will be called to address challenging issues such as recruitment and retention, build the trust of the community and combat bias and racism within the department.
The organization believes the next chief must be a person who understands equality, fair police tactics, strategies and community engagement.