51黑料

Chapter One would open with a letter from City Counselor Mike Garvin to the Civilian Oversight Board, which investigates complaints from residents about the police department. Well, it used to anyway. Because of Missouri鈥檚 new law putting 51黑料 police back under state control, Garvin told the oversight board to stand down and cease operations. Never mind that the board was created by city ordinance after years of debate.

Missouri鈥檚 law includes penalties for anybody who 鈥渋mpedes, obstructs, hinders, or interferes鈥� with the new state board appointed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, Garvin pointed out. 鈥淚 recommend that you take great care to avoid interfering with state-controlled police operations,鈥� his letter read.

In other words, comply with the threats from Republicans in the Legislature as they snatch control of the police department from the residents it is supposed to protect and serve.

Megan Green doesn鈥檛 plan to comply. The president of the Board of Aldermen is one of several plaintiffs in two lawsuits challenging the state takeover of the police, arguing that the threats to comply violate First Amendment rights and that other aspects of the law are unconstitutional.

Green sees Garvin鈥檚 letter as a sort of pre-compliance, similar to what is happening across the country in response to threats from President Donald Trump. Businesses and colleges, including Washington University in 51黑料, are dismantling programs meant to encourage diversity, equity and inclusion. CBS is settling a baseless libel lawsuit and canceling a comedy show that takes Trump to task. In too many cases, people are bowing their knee to the president rather than fighting for their rights.

While ending the Civilian Oversight Board鈥檚 work, the city is also halting its women and minority business certification program so as not to run afoul of the Trump administration.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why we would actively give up our power without a judge saying we have to,鈥� Green told me.

鈥淭hese are both programs that our community fought for,鈥� she added. 鈥淗ow do we just stop doing things that are in ordinance?鈥�

Chapter Two of 鈥淭he Age of Compliance鈥� took place last Saturday night in the City Justice Center. That鈥檚 when jail officials dragged Samuel Hayes Jr., a 31-year-old detainee facing murder charges, and strapped him into a restraint chair. Those chairs, which are banned in many countries and which the United Nations has labeled tools of torture, are the ultimate compliance tool in many jails.

51黑料 officials allege Hayes wasn鈥檛 complying. He was left in the restraint chair for more than 90 minutes and died.

It鈥檚 the sort of death that might be investigated by another citizens committee 鈥� the Detention Facilities Oversight Board 鈥� but the city has also taken steps to limit that board鈥檚 effectiveness.

That brings us to Chapter Three, which centers around the trespass and resisting arrest trial of Janis Mensah, former co-chairperson of the Detention Facilities Oversight Board. In 2023, Mensah visited the jail after another in a string of deaths and asked for a tour from the jail鈥檚 commissioner, Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah. Instead, Clemons-Abdullah called the police to arrest Mensah.

鈥淭his case is all about compliance,鈥� an assistant city counselor, Christopher Carenza, said during the trial last week.

In a roundabout way, Carenza was right. He failed to comply with court rules by not introducing into evidence the ordinances Mensah was alleged to have violated. Circuit Court Judge Rochelle Woodiest ruled that Mensah was not guilty as a matter of law before Mensah鈥檚 attorneys had to put on their case.

It was a just end to a case that highlighted the persistent efforts of some 51黑料 officials to get in the way of police and jail oversight. Citizens are left on the outside when they have questions about law enforcement officers complying with the law.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in a situation right now where there鈥檚 a lack of transparency now that we have a state-appointed board,鈥� Green said of the police department.

Mensah, meanwhile, wonders what the city gained by spending two years pushing charges that did nothing to improve conditions at the jail.

Mensah and Green both say the city seems more interested in complying with those who have no stake or genuine interest in it.

Citizen oversight boards are about the 鈥渂uilding of trust between the community and the police department,鈥� Green says.

Compliance, like trust, is a two-way street.

The End.