PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

County Executive Sam Page has made public safety and a modern police department a priority, training police to de-escalate situations and respond appropriately to mental illness in order to prevent bad outcomes while also taking an aggressive stance against violent crime and repeat offenders. He is working to improve trust between police and communities, has increased the number of police and neighborhood patrols, and supports Wesley Bell’s Conviction and Incident Review Unit and the expanded use of body cameras by police officers. Crime is down in 2022. 

Dr. Page also believes that we must have stronger gun laws in this country. Thoughts and prayers alone won’t do it. We must protect our future by:

• Passing a federal background check requirement.
• Passing a federal red flag law.
• Revoking the so-called Second Amendment Preservation Act and allowing federal and local entities to cooperate on violent crime investigations.
• Letting St. Louis and Kansas City set our own gun laws.
• Funding community violence intervention programs.

Dr. Page believes we must use the resources we have – and find new revenue sources – to make mental health funding a priority.