A spokesman for Mayor Tishaura Jones is clapping back at Fox & Friends after the cable news show broadcast two hit pieces on St. Louis — pieces relying on a disgraced former police detective as well as a state senator who lives a full hour outside the city.
“We saw the Fox & Friends segments regarding St. Louis crime and noticed that you may be lacking some essential facts regarding crime and safety in the City of St. Louis,” writes Director of Communications Conner Kerrigan, proceeding to outline some of the missing information — including the fact that crime was down dramatically in St. Louis last year.
In a tactless move, Fox & Friends aired its hit pieces about the city on the same day as the Kansas City mass shooting.
Fox & Friends Host Lawrence Jones personally visited St. Louis and produced two segments — one that claims violence is “soaring” in the city (it’s not) and another that blames “defund the police” rhetoric for crime (the police have not been defunded).
The show also described Cori Bush as being “one of the newest members of the squad” and, despite the fact she has nothing to do with municipal governance, suggested that she is responsible for St. Louis crime.
“In every city I go to I keep hearing about people wanting to defund the police,” Jones said. “I keep trying to find the people who want to defund the police and I can’t find any of these people because they’ve been impacted by the crime in their city.”
“We know who wants to defund the police, Cori Bush,” co-host Brian Kilmeade responded.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is far from being defunded. In fact, last year Mayor Jones signed off on a deal giving officers the biggest raise they’ve had in 20 years, as Kerrigan points out in his letter. He also writes that Jones is also trying to assist the department in filling its “budgeted strength” of 1,223 officers, which would make it one of the largest police departments in the nation per capita.
“The City has multiple police academy classes in training right now, and 14 officers have returned to the department from other municipalities,” Kerrigan writes.
The department is currently down 330 officers and has 27 recruits, according to Kerrigan. He notes that departments nationwide are short officers and this issue isn’t one unique to St. Louis.
Jones’ two segments also showcased interviews with state Senator Nick Schroer (yes, the dueling guy who lives in a basement in St. Charles County), as well as, shockingly, disgraced retired detective Roger Murphey. Murphey was previously featured in an RFT/ProPublica story for refusing to testify at murder trials, even if it meant suspects walked free.
He also included a heartbreaking interview with a local mother who first lost her 19-year-old son to gun violence and months later her nephew, Preston Jones, who was shot in his sleep.
Yet despite the show’s claims that violence is rampant in St. Louis, statistics show that crime is decreasing.
Crime data shows that homicides dropped 21 percent in 2023, shooting incidents fell 24 percent, and there was a 22 percent drop in the category of violent crimes that includes murder, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, felony theft and auto theft, according to departmental records.
Representatives in the mayor’s office believe Fox News is possibly being used by Schroer, who has been a vocal advocate in the legislature for removing control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department from the city and giving authority to the state.
Currently Kansas City is the only Missouri city whose police department is under state control. The city saw its crime rates rise last year, contrary to national trends.
Kerrigan says Fox News has not responded to his letter providing additional context.
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