The St. Louis County Police chief is requesting that the St. Louis County Council draft legislation that would cover the costs of St. Louis County Police overtime pay.
St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar sent a letter to both the St. Louis County Council and St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger requesting that the county police department receive a supplemental appropriation for $3 million.
Belmar said the appropriation would cover the amount of overtime needed to pay the officers who provided security during the Stockley verdict.
The police chief said over $1.6 million was needed to provide a police presence during the Stockley verdict unrest.
Protesters yelling at @stlcountypd at the @StLouisGalleria. #StockleyProtest pic.twitter.com/FzgdvbGY1l
— Clayton Times (@ClaytonTimes) September 20, 2017
In addition to police officers working overtime during that Stockley verdict, Belmar said extra hours were needed from county police when the Meramec River flooded earlier this fall.
According to Belmar, the overtime expenses were directly related to staffing levels in an “operation that works 24/7/365” and has depleted the St. Louis County Police Department’s overtime budget.
In addition to the request, Councilman Mark Harder will request an update from St. Louis County Auditor Mark Tucker for an update regarding completed or in progress audits conducted from March.
Harder also requested that Tucker provide the County Council an update regarding the hiring of personnel for the auditor’s office.