ST. LOUIS – Three weeks after the region’s largest police department shifted from local to state oversight, the chief is fielding a variety of questions. 

Who’s making decisions? Has policing changed? Is his job safe?

FOX 2’s Jasmine Huda sat down with Chief Robert Tracy for some answers:

What’s changed since Governor Mike Kehoe signed the bill into law March 26?

Chief Tracy: “What happening now, is there’s different oversight. Answering to an administration, and to a mayor. And now answering to five board of commissioners and an additional one.  A non-voting member. One being the mayor.  It’s about educating them – telling them exactly what we’re doing, how we’re it, and hopefully getting the support that we need to continue our job and hopefully help drive down crime.”

Next week, a transition director will be named. That person’s job is to lead the implementation of the board, which is comprised of the mayor and four other voting members, who are appointed by the governor. You have an interim TD, but you, at this point, don’t know who official TD will be. Who would you *like* it to be?

Chief Tracy: “Certainly someone who is unbiased, doesn’t have an agenda. A good listener, and understands both sides—the city and also the state. Because there are so many assets when you take a look at when you take a look at how this went from state to local control. The legislative bill says all of those assets come back. You’re talking about fleet services, you’re talking about cars, you’re talking about the legal team, you’re talking about HR. You’re talking about all these things that someone really  has to negotiate with City Hall. And also be speaking with the chief of police, what are your needs, as we’re setting up the board. And then reporting back to the governor. To make sure that they’re informed of what’s happening. And to make sure that we’re doing this in a proper way, so the community doesn’t suffer.”

Until that person is named, can you still make decisions?
Chief Tracy: “Right now, I appreciate the confidence [the state has] in me. I have to keep this thing moving. I’ve hired 10 civilians, since that time [state control became official]. 911 operators. Call takers. We can’t let this paralyze and slow us down. They’ve given confidence in me in my experience – I know how to run police departments. So I keep these things going. I don’t wait to be told what to do.  And in certain decisions that I have to make on discipline. Suspensions. Grievances. All these things have to keep moving.”