St. Louis County town likely to contract for police service

CHARLACK, Mo. -- A small St. Louis County town with a reputation as a speed trap soon may disband its police department and contract for law enforcement.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Charlack has received many complaints over the years for its speed trap along Interstate 170 near Lambert Airport. Meanwhile, a former police chief, Anthony Umbertino, was convicted of stealing from the city.

But Mayor Frank Mattingly said the final straw was a state-imposed limit on traffic-ticket revenue. The city council is on the verge of signing a contract with North County Police Cooperative.

Charlack is among eight municipalities expected to lose police departments as a result of Senate Bill 5, which requires St. Louis County municipalities' general operating revenue not exceed 12.5 percent from traffic fines.

"With Senate Bill 5 passing, we knew it was going to be inevitable, and instead of it taking the next six months to figure out, we said, 'Let's just do it now and everybody can have a merry Christmas,'" Mattingly said.

Mattingly asked officials in two neighboring towns, St. John and Overland, to submit bids, but they declined, saying they needed more time.

St. Louis County police chief Jon Belmar said his department asked about bidding on the contract, but Mattingly said terms would include retaining five of the eight Charlack officers.

The county department wasn't willing to do that.

County police provide law-enforcement services for about one-third of the county's residents living in unincorporated areas and about two dozen municipalities under contract.

Mattingly said the overall budget for the city of about 1,300 people is about $1 million a year.

He wasn't sure how much goes to police.

The North County Police Cooperative, relatively new, is an extension of the Vinita Park, Missouri, police.

It also patrols Wellston after it disbanded its department and Vinita Terrace.