Missouri Senator Joe Keaveny files bill to give St. Louis command over its police department

KSDK -- Missouri Senator Joe Keaveny of St. Louis filed legislation to return control of the St. Louis Police Department to city leaders.

The bill would allow the City of St. Louis to control its police force without state intervention through the passage of an ordinance.

The St. Louis Police Department is currently controlled by the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners. Four of the five commissioners are appointed by the governor and the fifth member of the board is the Mayor of St. Louis. This arrangement dates back to the Civil War when tensions between pro-Union St. Louis officials and pro-Confederate state officials led to the governor taking control of the city's police force. 

Keaveney says St. Louis and Kansas City are the only two cities of their size that have state-controlled police departments.

Senator Keaveny said his bill would not alter the current police pension system for members of the St. Louis Police Department, which will continue to be governed by state statute.