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U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt speaks at the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Institute grand opening on October 19, 2021 at Mizzou (file photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)

Missouri’s Blunt: CPD and several departments short of officers

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt speaks at the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Institute grand opening on October 19, 2021 at Mizzou (file photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)

Missouri’s senior senator says the Capitol Police in Washington D.C. are 200 officers below their authorized level, and that 135 Capitol Police officers have retired last year.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R) co-chairs the Senate Law Enforcement caucus.

“But I think this problem is clearly a lot bigger than the Capitol Police, starting with defund the police and prosecutors who pledged not to prosecute crimes in certain areas or certain crimes,” Blunt says.

Senator Blunt also says Capitol Police are also working overwhelming hours. He says they’re 200 officers below their authorized level of 2,000 officers. He says Capitol Police are critical to the ability of Congress to function.

Closer to home, Senator Blunt says retirements were up 60 percent last year in the St. Louis City and Kansas City police departments. He also says Columbia is searching for police officers.

“My hometown … Springfield, Missouri … is looking for 40 officers. Columbia, Missouri, a department of 187, looking for 20 officers,” says Blunt.

Blunt briefed reporters in Washington at this week’s Senate GOP leadership press conference. Click here to watch Senator Blunt’s comments in their entirety.

 

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