ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Changes to the St. Louis County Board of Police Commissioners are underway.
On Friday, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page appointed two new members to the board: Judge Ray Price and Michelle Schwerin. They still need to be approved by the county council. If approved, they would replace current board Laurie Westfall and former chairman Roland Corvington, who resigned on Monday.
Page promised to make changes starting at the top after a jury awarded a county police sergeant nearly $20 million in a discrimination lawsuit after he said he was passed over for promotions and told to “tone down his gayness.”
“These selections were made with great care and consideration over the course of several weeks,” Page said. “I am confident Judge Price and Ms. Schwerin will help lead the department toward an even safer and more inclusive St. Louis County.”
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Judge Price served the longest term of any judge in Missouri Supreme Court history and served two terms as chief justice. He also previously served on the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners.
Schwerin is a lawyer and Certified Public Accountant. She specializes in civil tax examinations, appeals, litigation and criminal tax investigations. She’s also an adjunct professor at Webster University, where she teaches in the Master of Forensic Accounting program. Schwerin also serves on the St. Louis Jewish Community Center’s Board of Directors.
“These appointments are the beginning of a critical transition period,” County Executive Page added. “We will continue implementing serious and thoughtful changes in coming weeks.”
There are five commissioners who oversee county policing. Page is expected to nominate at least one more replacement for the county council to consider by next week.
