St. Louis County may seek tax hike to aid police agencies

CLAYTON, Mo. — St. Louis County residents may be asked to approve a half-cent sales tax to hire more police officers, add body cameras and make other law-enforcement improvements.

County Executive Steve Stenger announced the proposal Tuesday. The county council must still approve, and if members do, it would be placed on the April 4 ballot.

County officials say the tax would generate about $46 million for county law-enforcement improvements, including hiring officers and adding technology such as body cameras. It also would generate another $34 million that would be divided among the 57 municipal police agencies in the county. They could spend the money as they see fit, as long as it is for public safety.