JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – For more than an hour Tuesday, Missouri lawmakers debated House Bill 1481, which is sponsored by south St. Louis County Republican Representative Brad Christ.

“This is the way it was for a century. After it changed, we’ve seen some of the bloodiest years in history,” Christ said.

Christ’s bill would transfer control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to a Board of Police Commissioners, restoring state oversight that Missourians voted to end in 2013. If the bill is passed, the governor will appoint the four commissioners. St. Louis’ mayor would also be on the board.

The only U.S. city without local police control is Kansas City, whose police department is under the control of a similar board.

“This is to create a better foundation for SLMPD that’s been decimated by an administration, which in turn has decimated the city, St. Louis City, with crime,” Christ said.

St. Louis Democratic Representative, Lakeysha Bosley, opposes the legislation.

“It seems to me that this would be a direct attack on more of these urban cores where there are minorities in leadership. Yes, I am being aggressive, because this is an aggressive takeover of the City of St. Louis Police Department,” she said.

Joplin Republican Representative Lane Roberts spoke next. He is the former director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

“When politics becomes the driving factor instead of public safety, that’s not okay, and that’s what’s happening,” he said. “This bill seeks to find a remedy for it. It’s not a total answer. There are lots of criticisms you can offer that may be true, but the fact remains: what’s going on right now is not okay.”

St. Louis Democratic Representative Steve Butz offered this characterization of the proposed legislation.

“Changing management of the police department is not going to improve our crime stats. It is not,” he said. “What it is going to do is dramatically improve police morale from the ethical society of police and the POA. That’s the main issue, and it will improve the business management.”

A vote on the bill is expected in the weeks to come. The Senate is considering a similar legislation.