THIS SPRING HAS BEEN A VIOLENT ONE ON THE STREETS OF SAINT LOUIS. THE CITY'S MURDER RATE IS UP COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO. FROM JANUARY THROUGH MAY 13TH OF THIS YEAR THERE'VE BEEN 56 HOMICIDES IN ST. LOUIS-----COMPARED TO 37 LAST YEAR THIS TIME......AND IF YOU'RE KEEPPING TRACK, THAT'S 19 MORE THIS YEAR.
SO, ARE CITY COPS OUT-GUNNED, YES, SAYS SERGEANT GARY WIEGERT, A 28 YEAR CITY COP AND PRESIDENT OF THE SAINT LOUIS POLICE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION.
TODAY, ON NEWS FOUR AT FIVE O'CLOCK WIEGERT WILL SHARE HIS THOUGHTS, PLUS TELL US MORE ABOUT HIS RECENT VISIT TO JEFFERSONO CITY. HE WANTS LAMAKERS TO APPROVE A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY'S POLICE OFFICERS TO REPLACE THEIR CURRENT 9 MILIMETER HANDGUNS WITH A MORE HIGH-POWERED, 40 CALIBUR WEAPON.
WE'LL ALSO HEAR FROM A LOCAL CRIMINOLOGIST AND WHY HE WARNS POLICE AND CITY OFFICIALS TO "PREPARE FOR A LONG, ACTIVE SUMMER."

LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS.

---