Senate Committee hears testimonies on St. Louis Police Control Bill

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1/19/2011: Radio Story - The House Urban Issues Committee passed HB 71 to give St. Louis local control of police department.

2/15/2010: Radio Story - The St. Louis Mayor and police go head to head over a bill that would put the St. Louis Police Department under control of the city.

2/23/2010: Radio Story - More than 130 St. Louis City Police arrived in the Capitol to speak out against local control of their police department.

3/ 1/2010: Radio Story - A heated hearing ended with the House Urban Issues Committee passing a bill to give St. Louis control of its police department.

3/ 2/2010: Radio Story - St. Louis Mayor Slay says the city should have the last word with the St. Louis City Police

Intro:	Mayor Francis Slay tesitified in front of the Senate Committee in favor of local control of its police department. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: St. Louis is fighting to get its police department back.

The state has had control of the department since the Civil War.

Mayor Francis Slay said the change would hold people accountable for their actions.

But Vice President of the St. Louis Police Officers Association, Joe Steiger, says the city can't handle the department.

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Description: "City government does not run effectively and efficiently for its citizens its an overly burdensome bureaucracy filled with red tape and political favors."

The bill to give local control of the police department was defeated in the House last legislative session.

A committee vote to decide to send the bill to the floor could take place as early as next week.

From the state Capitol, I'm Sherman Fabes, NewsRadio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	Tempers flared during the Senate Committee hearing of the St. Louis Police Control Bill.
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Wrap: The hearing room was filled with people on the floor and standing on the walls, but that didn't stop the hard line of questioning.

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Description: Nadal: "So when I ask you Mr. President, whether or not we should trust you, that is quite a legitmate question"...Reed: "And I'll tell you why that's an absolute illegitmate question..."

Lewis Reed, President of the Board of Alderman, testified in support of local control of the police department.

He said that state controlled police department was born out of slavery and needs to be handed back to the city.

The committee could vote on the bill as early as next week.

From the state Capitol, I'm Sherman Fabes, NewsRadio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	The Senate Progress and Development Committee heard testimonies on the St. Louis Police control bill. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay testified in favor of local control of the police department.

He said city control of the police department would save the city millions of dollars.

But, Vice President of the St. Louis Police Officers Association, Joe Steiger, says the city is not run efficiently or effective enough for them to have control of the police.

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Description: "The single most dangerous part of this legislation is the risk that city politicians, as they have done in the past, will turn their backs on the poeple who lay their lives on the line everyday."

The committee could vote on the bill as early as next week.

From the state Capitol, I'm Sherman Fabes, NewsRadio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	St. Louis is one of only two places in the country that does not control its own police department and one senator thinks it will stay that way. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Republican Senator Rob Schaaf sits on the Senate Progress and Development Committee that heard testimonies on the St. Louis Police control bill.

There are no direct consequences to his Kansas City area district if passed.

But, after hearing testimonies, he doesn't think the bill has any shot of surviving.

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Description: "This bill doesn't have a prayer's chance of passage through the entire Senate, as it is. It is going to have to be modified if it has any chance."

The committee will take a vote in the upcoming weeks.

From the state Capitol, I'm Sherman Fabes, NewsRadio 1120 KMOX.