Here's more:
Disbanding of Wellston police department gives rise to new North County police force It's a St Louis today article and I had to click through several questions to access it.
I can't see how Wellston can use the 'saving money' argument. Don't think they'll ever prove that one. What's mama gonna do when the newly formed new North County Police Cooperative go after her baby?
Excerpts:
...It’s not clear how much the move would save Wellston. Vinita Park and Wellston officials would not provide a copy of the contract Tuesday that established the cooperative to patrol Vinita Park, Wellston and start policing Vinita Terrace beginning July 1.
...Wellston’s former chief told the Post-Dispatch that his beleaguered department had been operating on a shoestring budget, forcing officers to buy their own supplies.
“They have to purchase their own guns, their own ammunition, their own bulletproof vest, everything,” he said. “The only thing they received from the city was a badge and an ID card.”
The officers earned $14 an hour, with no benefits, and even pooled their own money a few times to buy prisoners food when the city wouldn’t pay, Walker said.