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Fact check/Will Lyda Krewson's crime plan cost $34 million without additional oversight?
Fact check: Will Lyda Krewson's crime plan cost $34 million without additional oversight?
Lyda Krewson
February 6, 2017
By Sara Reynolds
The St. Louis Police Officers Association endorsed Lyda Krewson in the upcoming mayoral Democratic primary.[1] Responding to a request for comment from the St. Louis American, Krewson's opponent in the race, Antonio French, criticized her public safety proposals:
"Lyda has no intention of working to repair the broken relationship between the police and the black community... Her new crime plan … will cost taxpayers $34 million without adding one layer of additional oversight or accountability."[2]
Is French correct? Would Krewson's crime plan "cost taxpayers $34 million without adding one layer of additional oversight or accountability"?
Yes.
Krewson herself estimates that her proposed crime plan will cost $34 million.[3] (However, St. Louis Budget Director Paul Payne estimated that the cost to hire 200 new police officers, as Krewson proposes, would cost $3 million more than Krewson estimates.)[4]
As for additional oversight, Krewson is proposing the creation of a working group made up of law enforcement, judicial leaders, victim advocates, and others to oversee implementation of the plan.[3] Under the city’s current crime plan, a 15-member Crime Commission made up of community activists, academics, and business leaders plays a similar role.[5] No other aspect of the plan includes additional oversight or accountability.
Background
St. Louis will hold both Democratic and Republican primaries for mayor, comptroller, and board of alderman on March 7, 2017. There are seven mayoral candidates on the Democratic ticket, three on the Republican ticket, and two third party candidates. The general election is slated for April 4, 2017.[6]
Lyda Krewson currently represents Ward 28 on the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, the legislative body of the City of St. Louis.[7][8] Antonio French is also an alderman, representing Ward 21.[9]
The St. Louis Police Officers Association announced its endorsement of Krewson in a press conference on December 21, 2016. In a Facebook post, union president Joe Steiger said that Krewson "shares the strong support of police officers and is committed to providing leadership and tools to our officers so that we can make our city safe."[1]
Crime in St. Louis
According to city data, homicide rates in St. Louis have been consistently higher than the national average since at least the 1970s. The crime rate per 1,000 population peaked in 1993, at 173. By 2016, it had decreased to 79.[10][11]
In 2016, police reported a 4.1 percent decrease in the total number of crimes compared to 2015, from 26,013 to 24,941. This is a 49.9 percent decrease since 2006, when 49,743 total crimes were reported.[12] Violent crimes, such as murder and rape, increased 4.4 percent between 2015 and 2016, from 5,763 to 6,018. This is a 30.1 percent decrease since 2006, when 8,605 violent crimes were reported.[11]
Neighborhood safety plan
Public safety has been an issue during the current mayoral campaign.[4] Krewson's neighborhood safety plan can be found on her campaign website. The plan proposes hiring 200 additional police officers, at an estimated cost of $10 million annually.[3] Paul Payne, the City of St. Louis Budget Director, estimated that hiring 200 additional officers would cost $13 million per year.[4]
Krewson's plan also calls for a pay raise for law enforcement as well as more training, technology and equipment, estimated at $15 million. She proposes gun regulations, more funding for youth educational and recreational programs, community-based conflict-resolution initiatives, protection and care for the homeless, and demolition or renovation of vacant buildings, for an estimated $8 million. She also proposes more social workers and emergency services for victims of violent crime, at an estimated $1 million.[3]
Oversight and accountability
Krewson is also proposing establishment of a working group composed of "police, prosecutors, judges, victim advocates, the personnel department, and others, who will implement the following plan and provide insight and advice as we move forward."[3]
The city’s current crime prevention plan revived a civilian crime commission that had been defunct for 50 years. Its purpose is to "oversee the implementation of the PIER plan, to gather public input for the plan, and to recommend new public safety initiatives for [the Mayor's] consideration."[5]
Conclusion
Commenting on St. Louis Democratic mayoral candidate Lyda Krewson's acceptance of the St. Louis Police Officers Association's endorsement, her opponent Antonio French wrote:
"Lyda has no intention of working to repair the broken relationship between the police and the black community... Her new crime plan … will cost taxpayers $34 million without adding one layer of additional oversight or accountability."[2]
This statement is accurate.
Krewson estimates her plan will cost $34 million (although the city Budget Director estimated that hiring more police would cost $3 million more than Krewson projects).[4]
Krewson also proposes a working group consisting of police, prosecutors, personnel department members, and victim advocates, to oversee the plan and provide insight and advice.[3] Under the city’s current crime plan, a 15-member Crime Commission made up of community activists, academics, and business leaders plays a similar role.[5]
See also
- Municipal elections in St. Louis, Missouri (2017)
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Laws governing local ballot measures in Missouri
- Voting in Missouri
- Fact check: Has crime increased in Missouri on Attorney General Chris Koster’s watch?
Sources and Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Facebook, "St. Louis Police Officers Association on December 22, 2016," accessed January 20, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The St. Louis American, "What does the police endorsement of Krewson mean?" December 29, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Lyda Krewson for Mayor, "My Commitment to Safe Neighborhoods," accessed January 20, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "What to do about crime? St. Louis mayoral candidates weigh in," January 29, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 StLouis-Mo.Gov, "Public Safety Portal and PIER Plan," October 20, 2015
- ↑ Ballotpedia, "Municipal elections in St. Louis, Missouri (2017)," accessed January 26, 2017
- ↑ Ballotpedia, "Lyda Krewson," accessed January 26, 2017
- ↑ StLouis-Mo.gov, "Board of Aldermen," accessed January 26, 2017
- ↑ Ballotpedia, "Antonio French," accessed January 26, 2017
- ↑ StLouis-Mo.gov, "City of St. Louis P.I.E.R. Plan," December 2015
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Metropolitan Police Department, "2016 Crime Coded through December," accessed February 3, 2017
- ↑ Metropolitan Police Department, "Metropolitan Police Department Releases 2016 Crime Statistics," January 10, 2017
Launched in October 2015 and active through October 2018, Fact Check by Ballotpedia examined claims made by elected officials, political appointees, and political candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. We evaluated claims made by politicians of all backgrounds and affiliations, subjecting them to the same objective and neutral examination process. As of 2025, Ballotpedia staff periodically review these articles to revaluate and reaffirm our conclusions. Please email us with questions, comments, or concerns about these articles. To learn more about fact-checking, click here.
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