City’s Primary Investment In Community Comes Through Police Department’s Wrongful Death Settlements

ST. LOUIS—Touting their continued support of citizens in the city’s economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, officials in St. Louis told reporters Monday that their primary investment in the community came through the police department’s wrongful death settlements. “Millions of dollars have been pumped into our most impoverished areas after family members have sued the city over an unjustified shooting of a loved one by local authorities,” said Mayor Tishaura Jones, explaining that the government money provided to end court cases against the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for gunning down children have helped black and brown families pay for hundreds of funerals. “The money we’ve put back into the community has been helpful for single parents who have lost their spouse in a wrongful shooting, as well as for children who have been orphaned as a result of an officer-involved killing. While these payments may not be adequate compensation for the damage done, at least part of the city’s budget is finally going to the people who need it most.” Jones acknowledged that the individual settlements tended to be very small, but observed that in a city with as many police shootings as St. Louis, the total investment could really start to add up and make a big difference.