Police leadership shakeup urged following $20M judgment

CLAYTON, Mo. – Some St. Louis County leaders are calling for a police leadership shakeup after a jury found that a sergeant was discriminated against because he’s gay and recommended that he be awarded nearly $20 million.

Councilwoman Lisa Clancy says Police Chief Jon Belmar should resign because of what she described as a “culture of rampant racism and homophobia.” The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that she and another council members also called for County Executive Sam Page to replace members of the police board that holds the power to fire the chief.

Page could replace the entire board because all five members are serving on expired terms. Page said in a statement that those appointments were “forthcoming” but didn’t indicate whether he thought Belmar should remain in his job.

Belmar didn’t respond to a call seeking comment.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com