Idea to divert funding away from the police department floated during Board of Estimate and Apportionment meeting Author: Christine Byers (KSDK) Updated: 8:07 PM CDT April 23, 2021
ST. LOUIS How much money could the city divert into social service programs to address the root causes of crime by eliminating the approximately 150 vacant police officer positions from the city’s budget?
That’s a question the Board of Estimate and Apportionment asked Budget Director Paul Payne to research Friday during its meeting.
The board includes Mayor Tishaura Jones, Board of Alderman President Lewis Reed and Comptroller Darlene Green.
About 40 people made public comments during the two-hour meeting, including many who called for the elimination of the entire police budget.