click to enlarge ST. LOUIS COUNTY JAIL Thomas Bruce, 53, was arrested on Wednesday in the Catholic Supply attack. Thomas Bruce, a 53-year-old Jefferson County man, was arrested today. Police say they expect to charge him with a deadly attack and sexual assault at a Catholic Supply store in west county. Police Spokesman Sgt. Shawn McGuire told KMOV they expected to file charges against Bruce by day's end. Police raided Bruce's trailer home earlier this morning in Antonia, about 30 minutes southwest of St. Louis. He was taken into custody following a wide-ranging manhunt. Bruce is accused of killing 53-year-old Jamie Schmidt, who was shopping on Monday afternoon at Catholic Supply. St. Louis County Police say he entered the store, which sits in a strip mall off of Manchester Road near Ballwin, about 3:20 p.m. Armed with a handgun, he sexually assaulted more than one women he found inside and shot Schmidt in the head. Schmidt, a mother of three and member of her church … [Read more...] about Thomas Bruce Will Be Charged in Catholic Supply Shooting, St. Louis County Police Say
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Officers’ group seeks more diverse St. Louis County police
CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — A police association that focuses on adding diversity and fighting discrimination is trying to gain a foothold within the St. Louis County Police Department, but its leaders claim the police chief is blocking its path.The Fraternal Order of Police is the collective bargaining unit for 860 rank-and-file officers in the county that surrounds St. Louis city. In April, several black officers citing concerns about lack of diversity and racial tension asked the mostly-black city-based Ethical Society of Police to expand into the county as an alternative association. Since then, 54 black county officers have joined, along with 10 white officers.Police Chief Jon Belmar refuses to sign a memorandum formally recognizing their association on the grounds that the Fraternal Order of Police has exclusive collective bargaining rights.Ethical Society leaders say they don't want to be a bargaining unit — their goal is to promote diversity and represent members in … [Read more...] about Officers’ group seeks more diverse St. Louis County police
St. Louis County Police No Longer Arresting on Misdemeanors Without Warrants
click to enlarge On October 5, a judge ruled that the St. Louis County Police Department's policy of making arrests without warrants did not violate the constitutional rights of suspects. But one month earlier, in September, the department quietly moved to change its internal policies — and did away with the practice when it comes to misdemeanor offenses. "Officers shall only place a wanted on a suspect for felony crimes," the new policy reads. "Wanteds shall not be utilized for ordinance violations or misdemeanor crimes." The policy change was first reported by Missouri Lawyers Weekly. (Its story is behind a paywall.) In the parlance of the legal justice system, a "wanted" functions similarly to a warrant, with one crucial difference: An officer can issue a "wanted" for a suspect's arrest — and unlike a warrant, it doesn't require a judge's approval. The practice gave cops the power to essentially make warrantless arrests, and in St. Louis County, the practice … [Read more...] about St. Louis County Police No Longer Arresting on Misdemeanors Without Warrants
Sylvia Brown Killed Her Sister Rather Than Admit Debt, St. Louis County Police Say
click to enlarge COURTESY ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE Sylvia Brown has been charged with murdering her sister. A north St. Louis County woman killed her sister to hide her money problems, police say. Sylvia Brown, 57, was charged today with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. She was originally reported missing after St. Louis County police were asked to check on the well-being of the resident of 2519 Dukeland Drive, which sits in an unincorporated part of the county east of Florissant. Officers found 59-year-old Brenda Brown's lifeless body, but they weren't sure where her younger sister, Sylvia Brown, had gone. She was later arrested and charged in the killing, police announced today. According to a probable cause statement, Sylvia Brown said she had been planning the murder for a long time — apparently because she was in debt and didn't want her older sister to find out. She was jailed on a $500,000 cash-only bond. We welcome tips and feedback. Email … [Read more...] about Sylvia Brown Killed Her Sister Rather Than Admit Debt, St. Louis County Police Say
Theft Charge Dropped Against St. Louis County Police Commander
click to enlarge VIA GOOGLE/ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE Norman Campbell's security work at Dirt Cheap got him into trouble in 2015. A St. Louis County police commander who was the target of an internal investigation and fired following allegations that he was pulling double duty as a private security guard is no longer facing a felony charge for theft. The office of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch dismissed the charge, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported yesterday. Norman Campbell, a twenty-year department veteran, was charged in March 2015 for allegedly stealing his own wages. Campbell had served as a commander of the department's Dellwood detail. Campbell was accused of working security for the Dirt Cheap Company — a local chain of liquor stores known for its distinctive logo, which features an inexplicably sexy chicken showing off its tush — while he was also on the clock. At the time he was charged, the department said its investigation had … [Read more...] about Theft Charge Dropped Against St. Louis County Police Commander