Sunday Poll: What’s Up With St. County Police & Metro?

A week ago we learned about St. Louis County police officers covering the camera at a MetroLink substation.

A federal Homeland Security law enforcement officer was assigned to Metro transit patrol as part of a beefed-up security plan for the busy Fourth of July weekend.

He didn’t like what he saw.

Late in the afternoon on July 4, the officer walked into the North Hanley MetroLink substation to find 12 St. Louis County police officers milling about. A resulting Metro check of video footage determined that not only were county police officers loitering in the North Hanley security office instead of patrolling trains or platforms, at one point they covered the security camera with an envelope and tape. (Post-Dispatch)

Horrible, right? Consider the other side’s position:

The statement released Sunday by county police Chief Jon Belmar and spokesman Sgt. Shawn McGuire implies the allegations are the result of “politics and infighting.” The statement says the security camera at North Hanley MetroLink substation, which documented at least eight instances since 2015 of police covering up its lens, is improperly placed in a “private room.”

“A limited number of carefully selected images from over a two-and-a-half-year period that were pulled from an improperly-placed surveillance camera in a 12×14 private room appeared with the article,” McGuire wrote. “This room is used to monitor security cameras, hold briefings and complete report writing. It is also the only room officers have to take breaks from work and weather as well as change clothes and equipment at the end of a shift.” (Post-Dispatch)

As part of the Post-Dispatch series, apparently the County wants to remove accountability from their contract with Metro, with Metro head John Nations and St. Louis County Police chief Belmar disagreeing on matters for a couple of years now, hence Belmar’s “politics and infighting” comment.

Which brings us to today’s poll:

This poll will close at 8pm tonight.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Would Tearing Down Vacant Buildings More Quickly Help St. Louis?

Vacant buildings are often in the news in St. Louis, here’s two recent examples.

• June 2017: Forum addresses dangers of St. Louis city’s abandoned buildings
• July 2017; Tests confirm presence of asbestos in Clemens House fire debris

The morning the historic James Clemens house burned two other vacant properties also had fires. Few disagree vacant buildings can be an eyesore or even be a hangout for unsavory elements, but there’s less agreement as to the solution. Some want to see the vacant structures stabilized and held until they can be rehabbed and occupied again. Others argue they should be razed quickly before they cause other buildings to be abandoned.

Today’s poll aims to see where readers fall on this topic.

This poll will close at 8pm tonight.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Does The World Naked Bike Ride Encourage Indecent Exposure?

The annual World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) rolled through St. Louis last night.  Organizers use the phrase “bare as you dare.” Some riders were completely nude, except for shoes.

Although you can be as bare as you dare during the ride, the City of St. Louis requests that we cover our privates at the pre/post party. (WNBRSTL.org)

The St. Louis police allow privates to be exposed in public during the ride.

In most states around the country, there are indecent exposure laws which may prevent men and women from legally exposing their genitals in public.

Some states, however, only apply their indecency laws to those who show their man or lady parts for the purpose of sexual arousal or to shock others, allowing well-intentioned nudists to avoid prosecution. (FindLaw)

The above source indicates topless is ok in most states thanks to lawsuits on the equality of indecent exposure laws. For today’s poll you get to weigh in on the subject.

The poll will close at 8pm tonight.

– Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Is New CWE Project Too Much Density?

The 1-story storefront/warehouse at 4534 Olive St has stood for nearly a century. From March 2015:

Every resident will get a balcony or a deck at a four-story apartment building to be constructed on piers over an 89-year-old Central West End warehouse.

Planned are 22 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom apartments in the new building at 4534 Olive Street and an adjoining structure built in 1900. The warehouse will provide garage parking for residents. (Post-Dispatch)

City records show both buildings were built in 1926, the adjacent building has 2-floors.

The warehouse occupies the entire lot — 100 foot of street frontage and all the way to the alley. The 1-story street facade was retained but a new tower contains 29-30 apartments.

Today’s poll is about the resulting density of this project. Is it too much?

This poll will close at 8pm tonight, The results and my thoughts & photos of the finished project on Wednesday.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should Forest Park Ave & Grand Become An At-Grade Intersection?

In late May Chris Naffziger advocated in a St. Louis Magazine piece that the intersection of Forest Park Ave & Grand Blvd should be changed — returned to a conventional at-grsde intersection.This is currently happening to the West at Forest Park & Kingshighway. See in Google Streetview if you’re unfamiliar.

I thought this was an interesting idea so I saved the article. I’m not going to quote from it because I don’t want to sway your vote in today’s poll.

This poll will close at 8pm. my thoughts & results on Wednesday

. — Steve Patterson