The St Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) diverted $3 million from a budget allocated for building repairs, including $250,000 spent on Tasers, before complaining of needing additional funds to fix its facilities, according to a new report.
Department chiefs gave a tour to journalists on Tuesday, showing severe water damage, broken appliances, and decaying stone walls at more than two dozen police buildings. “Properly maintained buildings help ensure officers can focus on their mission, protecting the public,” Chief Robert Tracy said.
In January, the Board of Police Commissioners voted unanimously to move over $3 million from the repair fund. Financial documents show $1 million went to officer overtime, $750,000 to worker compensation settlements, $650,000 to legal costs, and $250,000 for 320 new Tasers. No money was set aside for building repairs.
The department proposed hiring a contractor to assess repair costs, with $25 million suggested as a placeholder. Board President Chris Saracino admitted that amount might not suffice: “We don’t think, based upon what we are seeing right now, that that would suffice, but we will see.”
SLMPD has already proposed a $250 million budget for fiscal year 2027, a $50 million increase, drawing criticism from city authorities. Mayor Cara Spencer warned that the increase would require cuts to other city departments and massive layoffs.
