Dave Mayers
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Special to The Marshall Project
St. Louis could be the site of a new true crime series following the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
The potential reality show was discussed during a St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners meeting on Wednesday. It could be an opportunity for good PR, said police spokesperson Mitch McCoy — unlike some other shows.
“I have routinely said no to ‘Cops,’ I’ve routinely said no to ‘Live PD,’ I’ve routinely said no to these national shows that want to show a 15-second foot pursuit,” McCoy said. “That does not help us change perception, that does not help us at all showcase what our city has to offer.”
The board voted to postpone the agreement with Lucky 8 TV, the production company behind the show. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Mitch McCoy said the department has been having conversations with producers, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“There are producers that are interested in showcasing our city in a light that nationally we don’t normally get,” McCoy said.
McCoy said the ATF reached out to police through the DOJ for the series. Conversations surrounding the show have been happening over the past month and a half. McCoy also said Dick Wolf, the producer behind “Law and Order” and the Chicago series of shows, was involved. Lucky 8 TV produces “Live Rescue” and “To Catch a Smuggler.”
McCoy said producers flew in from Los Angeles last week to meet with police, Chief Robert Tracy and Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore to discuss the show. McCoy said that producers were drawn to the city for its crime reduction practices and that the show would only focus on St. Louis and that producers couldn’t get content without the victim’s consent.
McCoy said there isn’t a financial benefit with the contract. He said they’ve had conversations with producers about spotlighting downtown investments and developments.
If approved, the reality series would air on A&E, and producers would follow officers for a year with two possible extensions.
Mayor Cara Spencer wasn’t in the meeting on Wednesday but sent a letter to police commissioners beforehand, asking the board to oppose the contract or table it for further discussions.
In the letter provided to St. Louis Public Radio, Spencer listed five points of concerns with the agreement. She worried the show would put the city in a negative light and present potential constitutional violations over the rights of those involved. She also worried how evidence would be handled.
“Footage of an arrest, a use of force, or an in-custody death would belong to a television company free to delete it,” Spencer said in her letter. “This is not hypothetical. In 2019, a ‘Live PD’ crew filmed the in-custody death of Javier Ambler in Texas. That footage was destroyed, and the sheriff and county counsel were later charged with evidence tampering.”
Spencer asked that the board table discussions and get a written legal opinion from police board counsel on its constitutional, labor, liability and Sunshine Law implications. She also asked for input and analysis from the public defender, circuit attorney, St. Louis Police Officers’ Association, Ethical Society of Police and advocates of victims. She also called for a public comment before any vote. Spencer said if it moves forward, the board should significantly amend the terms of the agreement.
“I am opposed to this and will remain opposed to this even if this Board pursues these modifications,” Spencer said in her letter. “I remain committed to working with each of you on the safety of our city, and I urge you to start by rejecting this agreement.”
Police commission defends Chief Robert Tracy’s raise
Police commissioners also defended Chief Robert Tracy’s recent raise at the meeting.
Tracy would be paid a base salary of $295,000, an increase of about $110,000. Commissioners held an emergency meeting Saturday to approve the raise. Board President Chris Saracino said that the raise was necessary to keep the chief in the city and that other cities were interested in hiring him.
“Stability in this department was key at the time we came in,” Saracino said. “We are looking towards having to have the ability to continue constant leadership through Chief Tracy. We have the utmost confidence in him.”
Spencer and the St. Louis Police Officers’ Association have criticized the new contract, which comes as the department is facing difficulties recruiting and hiring new officers. The police union said it sends the wrong message as civilian and professional staff have worked at below-market rates and without a contract since June 2025. Tracy was appointed by former Mayor Tishaura Jones in 2023, when he was paid $175,000 by the city and another $100,000 by the St. Louis Police Foundation.
Police shared a timeline in regard to Tracy’s raise, noting that the board entered into a $183,000 agreement with Tracy in December 2025 that permitted secondary employment as long as the duties didn’t interfere with his role. He signed a contract with the University of Missouri-St. Louis last year that has been described as an educational consulting contract.
The board said that other departments started to recruit Tracy this month, and that the board decided to pursue retaining him and eliminate reliance on the supplemental UMSL payments. Police said negotiations took place last Thursday through Saturday.
Police said Tracy and UMSL came to an agreement to end his secondary employment by the end of the year. Tracy’s new contract is effective immediately.
