St. Louis mayor demands police board fix pay, oversight gaps

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer presented a four-point plan for the Metropolitan Police Department on Wednesday, directing the state-appointed Board of Police Commissioners to address compensation, transparency, and operational coordination. The proposal follows a contentious decision by the board to grant Police Chief Robert Tracy a $112,000 salary increase during a closed session earlier this month.

Spencer asked the board to prioritize officer compensation, public oversight, and community trust. Her first request involves issuing a request for proposals for an independent study. That study aims to align entry-level officer salaries with regional and national market rates. The mayor stated that these requests are clear and confident the board can act on them.

The second priority focuses on oversight and city coordination. Spencer wants the board to adopt a resolution affirming its operational responsibility. She also proposed a written policy requiring the police to share incident action plans with the city’s Emergency Management Agency and Fire Department before major city-wide events. This aims to improve communication during large-scale operations.

Crime prevention and transparency form the remaining two points. The city’s Office of Violence Prevention would gain standing access to shooting reviews. Additionally, the board would be required to publish outside-counsel billing records within 30 days. The plan includes scheduling a promotional exam within six months and creating a clearer process for handling civilian complaints.

The conflict over Tracy’s pay has already triggered a state-level review. Governor Mike Kehoe asked Attorney General Catherine Hanaway to investigate whether the board violated open meetings laws. Hanaway passed the case to a Kansas City law firm. The firm will examine if the meeting notice was sufficient or if it fell under a legal exception. That review requires determining what board members knew and what they were told during the session.

Board attorney Chris Graville resigned following the raise. He called for an independent investigation into the board’s practices. Spencer argued that public officials paid with public dollars must answer to the public. She questioned whether the current structure leaves the chief accountable only to himself. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas called the situation a stain on public confidence. He urged Governor Kehoe to reconsider his appointments to the board, citing a fundamental flaw in the current state-appointed system.

Both St. Louis and Kansas City are required to budget 25 percent of their revenue toward police under state law. Lucas believes local control or a more responsive board is necessary to prevent similar errors. The St. Louis board has not yet responded to the mayor’s specific requests for action.