John Hayden

Mayor Tishaura Jones said using the Boulware Group will make the search for a permanent chief more transparent. Lt. Col. Michael Sack will take over as interim chief on June 18, when Chief John Hayden retires.

St. Louis officials are celebrating a big drop in murders while the city’s police classify more and more killings as “justifiable homicides” instead.

Both St. Louis and St. Louis County are looking for new police leadership, but very little is known about the process, or possible candidates.

APM Reports is suing the police department for withholding data about which homicide cases have been solved. The department told APM Reports and St. Louis Public Radio that information was a part of an investigative record.

John Hayden says the decision to leave the department after 35 years was made "carefully and prayerfully."

Republican lawmakers responded with outrage by moves in Kansas City and St. Louis to reshuffle police funding.

The Regional Business Council will hire consulting firm Teneo Risk for the next year to assist in implementing recommendations it made to the department in December.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr says a surge of federal agents into St. Louis starting in August brought down violent crime by 17%. But experts are urging caution about the claim.

Missouri Senate hears testimony from police and prosecutors in support of legislation to address violent crime.