October 31, 2026
ST. LOUIS — Mayor Cara Spencer is proposing changes to the priorities of the state-controlled St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners, calling for greater attention to officer compensation, civilian oversight, violence prevention and public accountability.
The mayor outlined the recommendations Wednesday as part of a four-point proposal intended to improve operations within the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Spencer called for an independent compensation study to examine whether starting police salaries remain competitive with other departments.
She also proposed additional oversight procedures, including improved communication between police officials and city emergency management agencies before major public events.
The plan calls for the city’s Office of Violence Prevention to receive regular access to shooting reviews and participate in establishing measurable public safety objectives.
Other recommendations include greater transparency involving outside legal expenses, department demographics, promotion examinations and the handling of civilian complaints.
The proposal follows controversy surrounding compensation decisions involving Police Chief Robert Tracy and the board’s consideration of a television production agreement.
Spencer criticized the board’s recent priorities and argued that more attention should be directed toward department staffing and operational needs. Those criticisms represent the mayor’s position.
The mayor also reaffirmed her opposition to state control of the department, although she said she intends to pursue improvements through her position on the board while the legal dispute continues.
The recommendations have not all been adopted by the Board of Police Commissioners. VOTP News STL has not independently obtained a response from the board to the latest proposal.
