ST. LOUIS — Flashing red and blue lights aren't only on police cars in St. Louis.
Black cruisers marked with the words "city's finest" and "police" patrol the city's neighborhoods. Gary Laburay, a 5 On Your Side viewer and Bridgeton resident, has seen the vehicles so often in his area that he asked the VERIFY team whether the cars are owned by the city's police department or not.
We dug into the facts to find the truth.
The question:
Are "City's Finest" cruisers owned by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD)?
Our sources:
- SLMPD Spokesperson Mitch McCoy
- City's Finest owner Rob Betts
The answer:
No, cruisers marked "City's Finest"are not owned by SLMPD.
What we found:
Betts, a former SLMPD homicide detective, created a security company called "City's Finest" in 2007. The company focuses on hiring off-duty police officers to work secondary jobs.
"Really the goal of us was to provide additional supplemental law enforcement services," Betts told 5 On Your Side.
Neighborhoods and business districts, that can afford it, can pay an additional tax to hire private security to patrol their area. Some of City's Finest customers include, but aren't limited to:
- Washington University
- The Grove
- Central West End
- Soulard
- Downtown St. Louis
- St. Louis Hills
- Tower Grove South
- Multiple MetroLink stations
Some of the City's Finest cruisers even have "police" written on them, adding to the confusion. Betts told 5 On Your Side that all City Finest vehicles with "police" have a police officer inside either working second duty or moonlighting for the security company.
McCoy confirmed the word "police" plastered on security cruisers is legal, as long as there is a police officer inside. McCoy also said officers have the same authority and arrest powers when working for a secondary employer like City's Finest.
Betts said City's Finest's main goal is to hire law enforcement officers from departments across the metro area to deter crime and reduce the number of emergency calls by handling smaller crimes, like disturbing the peace and loitering.
We can VERIFY: No, cruisers marked "City's Finest" are not SLMPD cruisers. The cars belong to a private security firm that hires police officers as a secondary employer.
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