By Adam Allington / St. Louis Public Radio
ST. LOUIS – Voters in St. Louis will have a chance to weigh in on the future of the St. Louis City Police Department next month.
A non-binding measure known as "Proposition L" has been added to the city ballot, asking voters if they want authority over the police department to return to local control.
Control of the department was handed to the Jefferson City Legislature at the onset of the Civil War.
Alderman Terry Kennedy sponsored the measure. He says even though the proposition is symbolic, it could still send a strong message.
"It certainly makes a statement," Kennedy said, " Here you have a group of legislators that are elected to represent the citizenry. It at least puts them on notice, if it passes in the way that we hope it does and think that it will."
Kennedy also said that support for local control has been building in Jefferson City, and Prop L will help keep that movement going.