Alfred Montgomery has officially been removed from his position as St. Louis Sheriff, following a judge’s ruling in favor of the Missouri Attorney General’s office.
The effort to push Montgomery out was initiated by former Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who filed a petition to remove him from office. That case has since been carried forward and expanded by current AG Catherine Hanaway after Montgomery was taken into federal custody last month. Former St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden has served as interim sheriff since October 29.
While the legal system may claim it’s following protocol, this feels all too familiar. Let’s be real: Black leadership in St. Louis has been under a microscope for decades. Every misstep real or perceived is pursued with urgency, while blatant misconduct by others in power often disappears quietly without consequence.
We’re not saying Montgomery didn’t have issues to address, but the energy and resources poured into his removal tell a much bigger story one of selective accountability. The city has seen this play out time and time again, and it continues to erode public trust, especially in communities who already feel unheard and overlooked.
As always, we’ll continue to watch how things unfold. But one thing is certain when it comes to leadership in St. Louis, the rules never seem to apply the same way for everybody.
