The Forum

Tensions rise as Mayor Cara Spencer challenges a massive police budget proposal amid falling crime rates, looming layoffs, and the sweeping impact of House Bill 495 on St. Louis governance.

City of St Louis Mayor Cara Spenser and her administration have remained in a contentious dispute for several weeks with the state-appointed Board of Police Commissioners over the proposed 2027 budget for the city's police department. The conflict is one of several less than favorable outcomes which have developed as the state of Missouri became set last summer to take control over the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department. House Bill 495, signed into law in March of 2025 by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe was introduced by Republican State Representative Brad Christ of the Missouri House. The legislation removed several sections of Missouri statutes which previously governed law enforcement activity across the state. The new laws institute more than several other statutes aimed at "enhancing public safety and addressing law enforcement challenges."

Central to the dispute is the Police Board of Commissioner's request for a $250 million budget proposal for next year.

Significant salary adjustments were requested, increasing the budget proposal by more than 50% over last year’s proposal. Mayor Spencer disputes whether there is legitimate need for the proposed increases. Spencer and the Board of Aldermen are also calling for clarification on how best to interpret “general revenue” to allow for clear determination of the 25% requirement of funds from the city’s budget to be spent on the police department.

Especially given context that statutes established in the new police legislation also provide several other lucrative perks for city law enforcement officers such as reinstituting free lifetime health insurance for retirees of the police department. An estimated 96% pay increase is slated to begin this summer for officers, as well as a proposed shift differential which may total up to 10% percent of an individual’s salary and is planned as additional incentive to be added to hourly pay of those law enforcement personnel working evening and overnight shifts.

As of early 2025, the starting salary for a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) officer is approximately $56,920 following academy graduation, representing a 7% raise from the $53,196 rate. 

Police Chief Robert Tracy and Board of Police Commissioners justify proposals for significant officer salary increases as necessary incentives that make SLMPD compensation more competitive with law enforcement salaries in other jurisdictions throughout the St Louis region. Severe staffing shortages have plagued the department since before COVID and have persisted, resulting in department leadership finding it increasingly difficult to retain officers without incentives to make employment packages more attractive for prospective personnel.

Mayor Spencer has signaled her willingness to resolve issues by way of court litigation if necessary.

Last month the Board of Aldermen for the City of St Louis criticized the Police Board's proposed budget requests and changes to state statutes. The St Louis Board of Aldermen passed a resolution denouncing the spending plan and requesting the proposal be reconsidered and resubmitted. Mayor Spencer maintains the sudden increase in spending would “cripple St Louis city government.” Spencer points out that multiple departments would be negatively affected by such significant expenses, forcing mass layoffs and requiring essential services like street maintenance, refuse pickup, and parks and forestry to be cut substantially.

Crime rates across the St Louis Metro area have steadily decreased over the last five years.

While multiple sets of data released in recent months by the City of St Louis repeatedly show crime at an all-time low, having dropped by as much as %16 over the past year, supporters of the Police Board budget proposal continue pushing for increased funding to be provided to the police department. Some residents and community leaders say any decreases in crime are direct outcomes of the city investing in violence prevention and community engagement programs. Residents weighed in at a recent public hearing at St Louis City Hall to express concern that SLMPD has continued touting substantial decreases in crime while they now support actions that seem to be in direct conflict with reported successful trends in effective crime reduction strategies. 

MO State Rep. Brad Christ of St Louis County had this to offer, “This is about supporting public safety and solving a public safety crisis in the St Louis region that’s affecting the entire state.” Mayor Spencer maintains that “if the Board of Police Commissioners does not change the budget they certified, …they will force the city to look at mass layoffs in other departments to compensate for the cost.” 

The dispute seems very likely to land all parties involved in court soon. This conflict is yet another result of recent implementation of HB 495, the “public safety improvement” bill which was passed by the Republican-led Missouri Legislature and signed into law by Governor Kehoe last spring. Conflict associated with the legislation has been ongoing. 

Be sure to follow our continued coverage of these important issues at the Forum as we provide continued reporting and analysis of public safety planning, funding and implementation in the St Louis region.