JEFFERSON CITY — A push to place the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Metropolitan Police Department under state control remained in limbo Monday with five days to go in Missouri’s legislative session.
Senate Democrats blocked a vote on the measure last week, and the Republican Senate president on Friday acknowledged dissent within the GOP on the takeover, casting more doubt on the plan’s viability.
But proponents of the takeover are continuing their push for final action ahead of the Legislature’s 6 p.m. Friday deadline, blasting local leadership of the police.
Rep. Brad Christ, a south ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Republican who sponsored the state takeover in the House, said Monday that passing the takeover had proven more difficult than anticipated.
“You’ve seen the department crumbling and the lawlessness,†Christ said, adding he was surprised “it’s been this hard to get it across the line.â€
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Christ noted the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Police Officers Association and the Ethical Society of Police both support the plan. It easily cleared the House earlier this year but has languished in the Senate.
“I’m pushing extremely hard, but my hands are tied,†Christ said.
Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and Republican megadonor Rex Sinquefield have been trying to torpedo the plan. Sinquefield’s Missouri Future group, with 18 registered lobbyists, has mobilized against the takeover.
Sinquefield’s involvement comes as no surprise considering he backed the move to local control of the ºüÀêÊÓƵ police in 2012.
Jones recently appeared on MSNBC and NPR to slam the bill.
“This isn’t about public safety, and it’s not about protecting our citizens or our police,†Jones said on MSNBC. “This is about power and control.â€
She said if Republicans were concerned about safety, they would pass laws to confiscate firearms from people a court deems dangerous, or universal background checks for firearm sales — or at least allow cities to enact such ordinances.
Ten people were shot and two died over the weekend in ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
“Just this weekend — the first hot weekend we’ve had in ºüÀêÊÓƵ — there’s complete lawlessness,†Christ said. “What’s this summer going to look like?â€
Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, shared an image of a person carrying a long gun in downtown ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
“More people murdered over the weekend and the Wild West literally in the streets. Blood on your hands if no action taken!†Schroer tweeted.
Missouri Republicans killed a plan to outlaw possession of firearms for minors earlier this year. ºüÀêÊÓƵ has an ordinance against open carry of firearms, but a city official said in 2016 it wasn’t being enforced.
Jane Dueker, lobbyist for the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Police Officers Association, continued to blast Jones’ leadership over the weekend amid the spate of shootings.
Dueker criticized a statement by Jones that lamented a “difficult†weekend for the city.
“We are seeing interpersonal conflicts escalate, made deadly when paired with the flood of firearms on our streets,†Jones said. “Gun violence harms neighborhoods and families across ºüÀêÊÓƵ, and I’m keeping especially close in my prayers the youth ºüÀêÊÓƵ lost last night.â€
Dueker said Jones “doesn’t get it.â€
“Their so called beefed-up program is failing,†she said. “Downplaying the chaos is gaslighting and disgusting. The mayor’s prayers aren’t working.â€
The state takeover plan would establish a five-member police board, with four members being appointed by the governor and Jones serving as the fifth member.
Skeptics have questioned the plan given that Kansas City’s police department is already under state control and is still grappling with high crime.
The state would also be poised to incur additional costs by assuming liability for legal claims against the police.
Senate President Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, said Republicans were unified in taking action on the special prosecutor bill had ºüÀêÊÓƵ Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner not announced Thursday she planned to resign on June 1.
“There’s a little more dissension on — at least on the Republican side — about the merits†of the state takeover, Rowden said last week.
“Nothing’s dead till Friday,†Rowden said of the session’s last day.
The legislation is