HB 1412 -- ST. LOUIS BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS

SPONSOR:  Portwood

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Job Creation and Economic Development by a vote of 17 to 0.
Voted "do pass - not consent" by the Committee on Rules.

This bill repeals the requirements that the St. Louis Board of
Police Commissioners establish the Bertillon system of
identification of criminals and employ additional assistance to
conduct and manage the department.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2007, FY 2008, and
FY 2009.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that this provision is obsolete,
embarrassing, and appalling and should be removed from the
statutes.  The St. Louis Police Department does not use the
Bertillon system today.  This section was adopted in 1909, and
the phrenology system was abolished in the 1940s.  There are now
much better ways to identify criminals.

Testifying for the bill was Representative Portwood.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Alice Hurley, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:43 am