Published by the St. Louis American - February 2, 2026
The St. Louis Police Department is taking a page from the growing police state created by Trump and his MAGA monsters: a budget bigger than any other department with a green light to surveil, kidnap, occupy, assault, and murder.
On Monday, January 19, snow and extreme cold forced most St. Louis residents to prioritize safety and survival. Some were able to stock up on necessities to hunker down for a few days, while the unhoused scrambled to find warm and welcoming shelters. Survivors of the May 16 tornado and individuals living in substandard housing sought unconventional ways to add warmth to their humble spaces.
As the city grappled with weather-related challenges, the state-appointed pro-police Board of Commissioners and the police union schemed to secure yet another raise for cops. This lack of transparency underscores the urgent need for local control of the police department. It also reveals the police union’s endless attempts to undermine citizen-led oversight.
First, with local control, these backroom deals wouldn’t happen. There would be greater accountability by the Board of Alders — fiscally and operationally. The police department is one of many city departments; it is not some special unit without a relationship with city operations or the citizens.
The state legislature and the governor have bullied the city into an untenable position. Their legislation puts unreasonable demands on the city budget—a clear example of taxation without representation.
In the past three years, the St. Louis Police Department (SLMPD) has received three pay raises, including their largest in three decades through the 2023 contract. It guaranteed increases of 8% to 13% based on seniority. In 2025, they received a 7% raise. Considering merit increases and past propositions like Prop P in 2017 that included raises, officers have had an incredible 7 to 9 raises over the last decade.
What most St. Louis taxpayers don’t know is that every time the police get a raise, firefighters must also get a raise and, vice versa. The city charter mandates this pay parity. Add police and firefighter pensions into the mix, and city taxpayers will be left holding a $13 million bill.
There are 18,000 police departments in the U.S., and all are currently facing challenges with recruitment and retention. A recent article in the American Police Beat titled “Is Anyone Listening?” outlines the difficulties police departments are experiencing.
What is particularly interesting is that among the ten recruiting and retention tips provided for department and union leaders, not a single suggestion involves changing the military policing tactics or addressing the ongoing distrust from the communities they serve. Police themselves have made law enforcement a despicable career.
The SLMPD has used several recruitment strategies, from eliminating city residency to promising hefty bonuses to ignoring secondary employment during paid city time. You cannot effectively recruit in Black and Brown communities when they see police as an occupying force with unlimited abusive powers and unwarranted impunity.
St. Louis is now considered a big town with its dwindling population of about 280,000. The police union aims to grow the police force up to 1300. Why? Cities like Toledo, Durham, Stockton, and Lexington with comparable populations have a police force of 400 to 700 sworn officers. Are they serving or occupying?
Complaints of slow or no response come from all parts of the city. St. Louis has more police per capita than any other city of its size. The Mapping Police Violence dataset calls out the SLMPD for the highest police use of deadly force per capita. The SLMPD union resists any citizen efforts for accountability. Raise your hand if you want more of this.
The St. Louis Police Department is taking a page from the growing police state created by Trump and his MAGA monsters: a budget bigger than any other department with a green light to surveil, kidnap, occupy, assault, and murder. Minneapolis is a case study for what rogue enforcers are capable of when it has no guardrails.Communities are listening and believing their eyes. The citizen struggle for local control and democracy continues. We must actively oppose the bankruptcy of the city to please a self-serving police department. We must resist over-policing and occupation. As taxpayers, we must continue to demand oversight and more accountability.
Recent Posts
Tired of People playing fast and loose with our Dead
Today, we find ourselves without voter protections and potentially just a legislative action or court ruling away from no right to vote.
Natural Disasters Demand an Effective Emergency Response
Madison residents were recently urged to take shelter from a tornado. This is a growing warning for those of us in the Midwest and Northeast. It is a warning connected to our contributions to global warming and flawed policy decisions by elected officials.
Putting Another Nail in the Coffin of Voting Rights
Almost daily, the MAGA monsters have violated or destroyed some part of the cultural, political, or financial fabric of this infantile democracy. By doing so, certain sectors are more impacted than others. Ultimately, the sum of the attacks affects all of us.
Get Updates
