ST. LOUIS — There was a serious crime scene in downtown St. Louis early Tuesday morning — that was also symbolic for some — a shot-up car crashed into the convention and visitors center.
"As St. Louis and Kansas City struggle with crime, it impacts the entire region and impacts our economy as a whole," said State Rep. Nick Schroer(R-O'Fallon).
Representative Schroer says the city's crime-fighting strategy could make the situation worse.
Newly elected Mayor Tishaura Jones, a Democrat, has proposed reallocating about $4 million of the police department's $170 million budget to other services.
"Defunding the police" is how Rep. Schroer sees it.
"To me, that does not make sense whatsoever," said Schroer.
Wednesday, he will join fellow Republicans from the Kansas City area and ask Governor Mike Parson to call lawmakers into a special session specifically to stop any "defunding" of the police in the state's major metro areas.
"We need to step up to the plate as a whole and not just allow for certain individuals to come up with these decisions," said Rep. Schroer.
"We've had special sessions to address violent crime and none of them have done anything," said State Senator Brian Williams(D-St. Louis County).
Sen. Williams just passed a bi-partisan police reform bill that is awaiting the Governor's signature.
He said any special session aimed at St. Louis and Kansas City police reforms is just a scare tactic by Republicans.
"We're focusing on how do we bring the community and police together to actually find the bad actors," said Williams. "Not continue to use divisive tactics that we've seen at the national level to continue to drive a wedge between law enforcement and the community."
"I would consider working with different leaders to find out other ways to deal with crime," said Schroer. "But I think what's been proposed in St. Louis and Kansas City is not the answer."
Schroer said state lawmakers not only have the authority to override city policies under the state constitution but an obligation to protect the wellbeing of city residents.
A spokesperson for Mayor Jones's office told 5 On Your Side, "We are not surprised by this latest attempt by Missouri representatives to seize local control from the people of St Louis. We've seen this show before."
Governor Parson's office said no decision has been made on a possible special session.