By Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis – Supporters of returning the St. Louis police to local control have gotten the okay to start gathering signatures on three ballot issues.
All three petitions approved for circulation would place the St. Louis Board of Aldermen in charge of police department policies. The department is currently governed by a five-member board, four of whom are appointed by the governor. The arrangement dates back to the Civil War.
Supporters will have to gather more than 144,000 signatures from throughout the state to place any of the measures on the ballot. A spokesman for supporters says they are waiting to see what happens with several local control measures in the Missouri General Assembly before they start their work.