Help Restore Community Trust in Law Enforcement and the Circuit Attorney’s Office

We can reduce violence by helping to strengthen the relationship between the community and law enforcement and increase confidence in the justice system.  When members of our community trust that the police and Circuit Attorneys treat everyone fairly and genuinely want to help keep them safe, they are more likely to seek help when they need it, report crimes, and participate in investigations.

We will continue to enhance community trust in the Circuit Attorney Office by engaging in practices that are fair, just, and non-discriminatory:

  • When she first took office, Kim changed the charging policy of the Office to make sure that (1) cases would no longer be issued if there wasn’t evidence to prove the charges, beyond a reasonable doubt, at trial, and (2) overcharging and unnecessary enhancements would not be used to force plea offers.
  • Kim’s office seeks a summons, rather than an arrest warrant, for most misdemeanors and low-level felonies, so that individuals who do not pose a public safety risk are not held in jail because they do not have the money to post Kim also requires her attorneys to frequently revisit bail amounts and agree to non-monetary release whenever it is consistent with public safety.
  • Kim will continue fighting against over-incarceration and disproportionate sentencing and ensure that incarceration is reserved for those who pose a substantial risk to public safety. Data from the Department of Corrections shows that Kim’s Office has cut prison incarceration in half during her first term.  These changes are dramatic and have been made without any corresponding increase in crime.
  • Kim will continue reviewing convictions through our Conviction Integrity Unit. Kim has fought tirelessly to right old wrongs and ensure that St. Louis can be confident in the accuracy and justice of criminal convictions.  Her Conviction Integrity Unit is currently fighting against the courts and the Attorney General to free Lamar Johnson, who was wrongfully convicted of a murder after the police and prosecutors invented evidence and paid a witness to testify against him.

Kim also supports a strong, trusting relationship between the community and the police.  Through her policies, she ensures that police officers do not have any incentive to engage in misconduct.

  • Kim dismissed 91 cases that relied on the testimony of indicted St. Louis police officers
  • She has publicly committed to not using the testimony of officers who have been found to be untruthful, engaged in misconduct, or publicly made comments evidencing racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice