'We Need More Police, Not Less': Alderman Shares Video Of Local Man Dodging Gunfire

St. Louis MO

09 June, 2021

9:40 AM

Description

CBS St. Louis June 09, 2021 The clock is ticking for the St. Louis Board of Aldermen to finalize a budget.For the next two days, the Ways and Means committee will discuss the proposed spending for the fiscal year that starts on July 1. One big debate with the budget is St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones' plan to reallocate $4 million from police - that would eliminate almost 100 vacant positions.Ward 22 Alderman Jeffery Boyd, who is on the Ways and Means committee, shared a video to social media saying "we need more police, not less." "I received this video link this morning from a frightened constituent and it is horrifying. These type of acts are unfortunately routine where I live. Her family is lucky no one was killed as bullets ripped thru her house. WE NEED MORE POLICE NO LESS," Boyd tweeted. Although, the alderman did not provide the location of where the gunfire took place, his ward contains part of the West End, Wells-Goodfellow, Mark Twain-1-70 Industrial, and Hamiliton Heights neighborhoods. Jones said having money for other programs, like affordable housing and victim support services, will allow St. Louis to tackle some of the root causes of crime. The city's police chief supports the redistribution of funds.The full Board of Alderman will vote on the budget in the last week of June.