SLMPD dispatch response times to low priority calls due to understaffing

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is experiencing delayed dispatch response times for low priority calls because of understaffing. In the Benton Park neighborhood, resident Casey Crocker reported waiting nearly two hours for police to arrive at his home on July 22, 2026. These staffing shortages are affecting the SLMPD's ability to respond promptly to non-emergency situations, including domestic calls within the Southwest Garden neighborhood and other areas across St. Louis.