Officer Residency Bill Expanded Statewide in Missouri

A bill which has received a lot of attention early in the Missouri Legislature is an officer residency bill which would lift a requirement that police officers in St. Louis must live within the city limits. Representative Cheri Toalson Reisch says Missouri lawmakers have voted to expand the bill statewide.

The bill initially focused on St. Louis due to the city’s department having over 130 vacancies. In addition to the expansion statewide, Toalson Reisch says she is working on an additional element for the bill.

While the bill will lift the residency requirement, cities will still be able to place limits on how far outside the city limits an officer can live in order to have a timely response. The bill has moved out of committee and will now be considered on the House floor.