Jeff Myers, the next representative for Warren County and eastern Montgomery County at the Missouri House of Representatives, is preparing to be sworn into office in January and already pre-filed his first legislative bill, an action that would alter control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Myers told The Record this week that he and other freshman legislators are in the midst of a two-week tour to introduce them to the operations of the state legislature, as well as bring them on personal visits to state-run agencies located throughout Missouri.

“I’m learning, trying to get as much figured out as I can. ... My goal is to hit the ground running,” Myers told The Record on Tuesday as he and other reps were in between stops in Warrensburg and Columbia. He said the tour of the state is an important time for new legislators to fully grasp all of the agencies and services the state government is responsible for.

“The state of Missouri is a multi-billion dollar business that offers a wide variety of services to its citizens. Because of that, coming in as a new member, you may not understand all the things that the state does,” Myers noted. “For example, I understand public safety and the Highway Patrol, but some of my colleagues on this tour didn’t know much about it.”

Myers is a retired officer of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Last week, the freshman legislators were introduced to the workings of the Missouri House of Representatives — things like decorum, legislative procedures, debate, and  researching bills, Myers explained.

Going into office, Myers said he has several priority issues he plans to be involved in. As his first act as a representative, Myers joined several colleagues in pre-filing bills that would place a state-appointed commission in control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The action would reverse a 2012 statewide vote that gave the city of St. Louis control of its own police department for the first time in modern history.

Since taking over, Myers does not believe St. Louis’s local government has adequately addressed the city’s challenges of crime or lack of manpower in the police department. That has negative ramifications for the broader region, he said.

For one, economic development officials in Warren County have to overcome the specter of St. Louis crime when pitching new businesses to move to Warren County, he explained.

“If it’s somebody from out of state, the first thing they ask is about the crime. The answer is ‘We don’t have a crime problem,’ and they say, ‘Well, you’re in St. Louis,” Myers explained. “(Crime) is spilling out of that region and it’s affecting the counties around St. Louis as well.”

In addition to the issue of St. Louis policing, Myers said he wants to get involved in discussing regulations of gambling terminals, and also that he will join in an effort to reform Missouri’s initiative petition laws that allow citizens to propose new laws and constitutional amendments. Myers and other politicians have expressed concern that the current rules allow entities from outside Missouri to have too much influence over state laws.

Throughout Myer’s time in office, he said he plans to make regular communication with constituents, through multiple channels such as social media and local news outlets, a top concern. 

“I want to keep folks apprised of what’s happening in Jefferson City,” Myers said. “I’m trying to engage on all the fronts I can to keep people up to date. I believe that’s a key component of this job. I want folks to know what their legislature is doing.”

Anyone who needs to contact Myers about legislative concerns can currently reach him via email at MyersForMo@gmail.com.