Jamala Rogers and Zaki Baruti, co-chairs of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression, say the St. Louis police department should be a department of city government, not a division within the Department of Public Safety. They say the police department shouldn’t be subject to control by bureaucrats, and their coalition also wants “checks and balances” on police.
It is stupefying to believe that a structure of government which works well in cities throughout America will somehow not work well in St. Louis. Having police, fire and other emergency services within the Department of Public Safety is a standard for city governments.
Checks and balances on the police department begin at the employment office. As long as the citizenry is tolerant of nepotism, favoritism and cronyism in the hiring of cops, police job assignments and promotions, city politics will continue to flourish in the department.
Michael K. Broughton
Green Park MO