ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — St. Louis County officials are holding three "listening sessions" where residents can tell them what they want in the county's next police chief.
Current St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar announced last week that he will retire in April. The Board of Police Commissioners will host the public events to gather public input that it said it would use in the search for a new chief.
The first session is from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday during the board's monthly meeting at the Hazelwood East Early Childhood Center in Florissant. Locations have not yet been set for the next two meetings, scheduled for Feb. 26 and March 10.
Residents will have a limit of three minutes to make their case.
Commissioners will ask them this question: "What are the two or three most important attributes the Board should consider in their selection of the next Chief of Police?"
Those who want to speak should arrive and sign up before 6 p.m. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m.
“The entire Board is looking forward to the input we are going to receive from the public throughout this process,” Commissioner Thomasina Hassler said in a news release.
Four out of five of the board's members were replaced in the aftermath of a $20 million discrimination lawsuit filed by Lt. Keith Wildhaber. The department has since settled the lawsuit for $10 million.
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