https://apple.news/AsFPHtJejTui4XH9ynk_VXw
Per this article the Police Chief of St. Louis receives a third of of his salary from a citizens foundation of business owners.
St. Louis seems to be doing things regarding law enforcement in a different manner.
Hope the article comes through Ok. It is from Propublica

Also from the article:

quote:

St. Louis does not appear to have a clear need for private funding of its chief. The department’s budget this year is $189 million and, because it is about 300 officers short of its authorized strength of 1,215, it has not spent all the money the city has made available. Last year, the department was more than $12 million under budget.

The private pay for Tracy is part of a broader pattern where St. Louis-area business leaders, many of whom live and work outside the city, have quietly tried to influence police operations because of concerns about crime’s impact on the regional economy.

I have a mixed opinion on this...

While I'm not opposed to the foundation attempting to help the police department, mostly to preserve the businesses that remain in the City, this doesn't solve the problem.

The big problem is not enough police officers want to stay in the City. Who can blame them?

quote:

St. Louis seems to be doing things regarding law enforcement in a different manner.

St. Louis does many things in a different manner. Personally, I have many issues with this. First, it reeks of back room deals made by city business leaders who would potentially directly benefit from any additional control they could exert on law enforcement in St. Louis City.

While having a private foundation assist a department by providing equipment such as vests, specialized vehicles, etc. may be acceptable, I feel that providing what appears to be an under-the-table deal to provide $100,000 per year for up to three years for the chief of police is not acceptable, especially given the apparent circumstances surrounding the deal.

The matter of the city's policy of parity in pay for the chief of police and the chief of the fire department has apparently become a point of contention and will undoubtedly result in either lawsuits being filed or more deals to achieve pay parity; in either case, the taxpayers of the city will end up footing the bill in one way or another.

The way the foundation insinuated itself in the hiring process seems questionable ethically if not legally. Setting themselves up to deal with the recruiter and stating that the city had no part in that aspect of the new chief's selection and hiring is concerning. Then, when asked about the deal, the new chief stated that his hiring/salary was strictly between himself and the city. The subsequent contract produced showing his signature along with the foundation's leader would appear to be at odds with that assertion.

Wow, that sounds fishy as all get out. So he is paid both privately and publicly.

My head hurts just thinking about the number of things that will go wrong with an under-the-table deal like this.

quote:

The way the foundation insinuated itself in the hiring process seems questionable ethically if not legally.

Yes, I agree completely.

The City of St. Louis has been ruled by Democrats for 75 years straight. There are white Democrats and black Democrats but the Republicans have long since moved to the County, either St. Louis County or St. Charles County more recently.

The City of St. Louis was once the 3rd largest City in the United States. It now has a population of around 250K having peaked around the 1950 census. Coincidentally, (or not) the City earnings tax was passed and became effective in 1950, taking 1% of the income of anyone who lives or works in the City of St. Louis.



Still, there are a few nice pockets or neighborhoods in the City remaining. The people and businesses in these areas want to protect themselves, while in most of the City there is very little law enforcement.

The City is 300 officers short of its authorized strength. They can't hire decent officers because crime is not prosecuted. If they do manage to hire some decent officers they only stay in the City long enough to gain enough experience to get hired in the County.

It's a sad state of affairs.

My take is that the idiots running that city budgeted too little for the salary to attract reasonable candidates, and a group took action to get them the ability to recruit above their budget.

From the article:

quote:

An email to board members from Albrecht said the city’s maximum salary of $175,000 “will not allow us to acquire the highest level of talent for this position.”

and

quote:

A survey by the Police Executive Research Forum found that, in 2021, the average salary for chiefs in the 38 largest U.S. police departments was $232,380.

As a former St. Louisan who still visits from time to time, the answer to its woes is...ROBOCOP.