NAACP: DOJ involved in conversations surrounding pursuit policies in St. Louis City, County
NAACP asking law enforcement to examine police pursuit policies
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - The St. Louis City and County chapters of the NAACP confirmed the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will be involved in the conversations between the NAACP and St. Louis Metropolitan and St. Louis County police departments regarding pursuit policies.
In a press release this week, the NAACP said it “received notice that its request for Justice Department assistance has been approved. Our initial discussion with the assigned Justice Department representative focused on outlining the next steps, scopes, and desired outcomes. We anticipate our Justice Department representative being on the ground locally after our initial meetings with the Chiefs of the St. Louis City and St. Louis County police departments.”
The NAACP noted how seven people died in 18 days in St. Louis from late April to early May stemming from police attempting to stop suspects. Five of seven family members died in a crash at the intersection Delmar Blvd and Pendleton after SLMPD placed spike strips to stop a stolen SUV.
“People are dying,” said Adolphus Pruitt, President of the St. Louis chapter of the NAACP. “The youngest one was 11-years-old. Let’s go back to April 22. I think that child was 2-years-old. Are there any sort of changes in the policy that can take place that may lead to less death?”
Pruitt told News 4 the DOJ has been involved in past policy conversations with St. Louis City and County police.
“I won’t say a neutral party, but a party of influence in between the two of us,” he added. “Our job is to look at the policy...see if there are any flaws, and suggest some ways of abating the issue going forward.”
In late April, a suspect evaded spike strips set by police and was driving at a high rate of speed when he crashed into a vehicle stopped at a red light, resulting in serious injuries for the mother and young child who were ejected from their vehicle south of Interstate 270 at West Florissant and Hudson Road. The 2-year-old died from his injuries, according to St. Louis County police.
Another man, Derek Pratt, died earlier in May when a driver trying to evade police took off from River City Casino Boulevard and hit his pickup truck on South Broadway. Authorities confirmed the situation started in South County and then ended in South City. Witnesses at the scene told News 4 police deployed spike strips.
The NAACP said it already had a meeting with SLMPD and one with St. Louis County PD is coming up. Both departments acknowledged the meetings and the DOJ’s involvement.
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