Arch City Chronicle: Blog: Let's count the votes

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Let's count the votes

Two recent Post articles (Bryan and Wagman) proclaim the police residency rule will soon be relaxed. Rumored for a couple of weeks, they must have it nailed down since the Post doesn't make a habit of going out on a limb.

But neither article lists how the members of the board might vote.

So let's try to count heads.
The board members are: Mike Quinn, Bart Saracino, Jo Ann Freeman, Chris Goodson, and Mayor Slay.

Mike Quinn is on the record in favor of lifting the requirement. Folks are assuming that Goodson is a "yes" vote as well. Did the Guv ask Goodson about residency before making the appointment?

Still that's only two. From the newpaper it sounds like the mayor is the third, willing to take 7 and Out rather than risk something more dramatic from Jefferson City.

It does look like the mayor - if I may go out on a limb - thinking beyond the immediate situation to a different (worse) scenario in the future, orchestrating a compromise, leaking to the press to soften the blow and failing to tie it to some meaningful reforms like the civilian review board.

Posted by Dave on Mon., Apr 18, 2005 at 1:41 AM | Media Matters (235)

Comments

Police officers must be pretty darn certain that residency will be lifted, because we are seeing many of their homes on the market now. Some of them have recently sold their homes and moved--and I don't mean to other parts of the city.

Posted by Irishgirl on Mon., Apr 18, 2005 at 8:28 AM

"Many"? "Some"? LOL

PS "We"?

Posted by publiceye on Mon., Apr 18, 2005 at 8:32 AM

I think it most interesting the Post and KTVI News both are proclaiming the Board will relax the rule, given that the Board has not taken up the issue in open session, as required by the Sunshine Law. When and where was this compromise brokered, and by whom? And isn't is ironic this announcement comes immediately after Slay's re-election? Guess it's safe to jettison the rule, now that he's used the cops to put him back in office; they can leave now that he's gotten what he wants from them. But from what I can see, the whole thing doesn't say much for Francis' leadership abilities--at least when his own ass isn't at stake. If getting rid of the rule were a good idea before, why is he so late in supporting it?

Posted by Brownie D. Light on Mon., Apr 18, 2005 at 10:36 AM

Do Police Board meetings provide for public comment?

Brownie's remarks seem to miss the point that the state legislature, which is now under the control by republicans, is in favor of lifting the residency requirement. What leverage do we in the city have on this issue?

In one article, the mayor talked about the possibility offering incentives for officers that elect to live in the city compared to those that move out. That sounds like a good idea.

Rep. Kratky's quotes left little doubt as to how he feels about the situation.

Meanwhile, on another matter, has anyone heard how many of the 100,000 Medicare recipients that are about to be cut from the system live in the city of St. Louis?

Posted by rick on Mon., Apr 18, 2005 at 1:27 PM

rick:

Guess by now you've read the residency rule was eliminated by a 3-2 vote of the Board of Police Commissioners.

Please, don't be so naive as to believe "the City" had no leverage in this issue, or with any issue relating to the SLMPD. Yes, the governor appoints the Police Board, but the MAYOR and the Chief run the SLMPD! The Police Board is a rubber stamp.

There have been several years of pressure from the MO legislature to jettison the residency rule, and they all failed because, ultimately, no one really wanted to intervene on a state level to address an issue of local concern. Unfortunately, the Mayor would not permit the Police Board to take up the issue of even DISCUSSING THE IMPACT OF THE RESIDENCY RULE, regardless of whether such discussions might lead to getting rid of it.

Not until now, that is. Blunt didn't lift a finger to help City officer's get this change. The Mayor did it, but dares not take credit for it, for fear of pissing off those City voters who would hold him responsible...oh yeah, he already got re-elected, so so much for that....

Posted by Brownie D. Light on Fri., Apr 22, 2005 at 4:00 PM