St.
Louis Cops Threaten Slowdown Over Civilian Oversight Board
A St. Louis, Mo., police union
official says officers would quit or do only the bare minimum of patrol if the
city creates a proposed civilian oversight board, according to the St. Louis
Post-Dispatch.
On Thursday, Jeff Roorda, a
police union official, issued the stern warning to elected city officials who
are poised to create a seven-member civilian board to investigate police
misconduct allegations. And in an unusual step, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay
has even added his name to the measure as a sign of support.
“They’d answer their calls when
they got them, but as far as interrupting criminal behavior on their own, why
in the world would they do that when their employers aren’t even supporting them?”
Roorda said.
“They would be incredibly
reluctant to do their jobs,” he said, “and St. Louis would be a much more
dangerous place than it is now. Nobody wants to be the next Darren Wilson.”
Wilson is the former Ferguson,
Mo., police officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was
Black and unarmed, over the summer. The shooting sparked ongoing protests
against police violence in the Black community.
Either way, the union has enlisted
the assistance of Lou Hamilton, a seasoned lobbyist with knowledge of City
Hall, to help fight or change the current bill.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
reports:
Alderman Terry Kennedy, who
heads the city’s public safety committee, is a champion of the bill. He said he
hasn’t set a date for a committee vote, which would have to take place before
it moves to the full Board of Aldermen. Kennedy says he expects that to happen
next month.
Kennedy disputed Roorda’s
claims.
“The bill does not restrict
officers from doing their jobs,” Kennedy said Thursday. “It enhances their
ability to interface with the community because it gives a third party in
residents the ability to look at complaints.”
The controversy comes nearly a
week after a brawl broke out at a hearing about establishing the board. Roorda,
who wore an “I Am Darren Wilson” bracelet, was accused of shoving a woman as he
made his way to a podium to speak on the issue.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
reports:
“As I tried to make my way up
to the podium, several protesters blocked my path,” he said. “The woman started
stomping my feet and kicking my shins. I pushed back. The crowd just surged at
me. I was just trying to stay on my feet.”
Civil rights leaders say
Roorda’s behavior is emblematic of the flagrant disregard police show toward
citizens.
“The existence of tension, and
especially Jeff Roorda’s outrageous behavior, shows all the more clearly the
need for civilian oversight,” said Jamala Rogers, the chair of the Coalition
Against Police Crimes and Repression. “Watching Roorda’s actions and those of
some members of the St. Louis Police Officers Association only gave more
reasons why citizens are distrustful of the police.”
