ST. LOUIS — In a significant legal move, Megan Green, the President of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, has initiated a lawsuit challenging the state’s recent takeover of the city’s police department. This time, she is pursuing the case without the formal support of the city government.
Green is the sole plaintiff in the lawsuit filed in Cole County against Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. This new legal action follows a similar lawsuit Green filed in April, backed by then-Mayor Tishaura Jones on her final day in office. That earlier suit argued that the state’s intervention in local policing contravenes the Missouri Constitution, specifically citing prohibitions against unfunded state mandates imposed on local governments.
The previous lawsuit contended that the law restricting St. Louis officials from interfering with the takeover infringes on fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and assembly. Green’s arguments were primarily rooted in the “Hancock Amendment,” which prevents the state from mandating unfunded obligations on cities. The amendment’s tenets were highlighted as the lawsuit asserted that the state-imposed requirements for police funding violate its principles.
According to the new state law, beginning January 1, 2028, the Board of Aldermen is required to allocate a minimum of 25% of the city’s general revenue for the police department, a stipulation that Green argues is financially unfeasible and unconstitutional.
The earlier lawsuit was dropped on April 22, and current mayor Cara Spencer has indicated that she has yet to decide on refiling it. Green’s new legal challenge continues to focus on the same constitutional issues as the original, including the Hancock Amendment and First Amendment rights. She is represented by attorneys from Stinson LLP and BDR Law Firm, rather than city lawyers.
Mayor Spencer expressed concerns about the implications of litigating this matter without a collective strategy, stating that individual lawsuits could undermine the city’s position. She emphasized the importance of presenting a unified front while allowing for thorough preparation by the City Counselor’s Office.
Attorney General Bailey responded to the lawsuit by urging local officials to redirect their efforts toward improving safety in St. Louis instead of pursuing what he termed “frivolous lawsuits.” He reiterated his commitment to supporting the local police force, asserting that if the city fails to back its own police, the state would step in.
This legal development underscores the ongoing tension between city leadership and state authorities over local governance and police oversight in St. Louis.
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