Inside the SLMPD
Welcome to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the home to some of the nation’s finest police officers and civilian employees. Established in 1808, our Department has a rich history and many traditions. We strive to provide the city of St. Louis with the highest level of police service.
Our department is dedicated to diversity and inclusion and we are committed to community policing. Our workforce is made up of over 400 civilian employees and 1,300 sworn officers. Our police officers interact daily with citizens and they have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of St. Louisans. We believe policing is one of the most rewarding and noble professions.
Get to know some of the faces you will interact throughout the application process. We welcome your questions and are here to help! We are excited to have you join our team!
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Meet the Team
Commissioner Robert Tracy
Police Commissioner - St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
Chief Robert J. Tracy has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience with the New York Police Department and Chicago Police Department, including top executive law enforcement leadership positions in New York City and a top-level law enforcement leadership position in the City of Chicago. He previously served as the Chief of Police for the City of Wilmington, Delaware from 2017-2022.
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Chief Tracy built a distinguished record of achievement and advancement through his positions with the New York Police Department. Chief Tracy was the Commander of a newly created Firearms Suppression Division, responsible for the coordination of tasks across several citywide units. He also served as the Commander of the Firearms Investigation Unit, working with Organized Crime Investigation Division and ATF/NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force. Chief Tracy led the Violent Felony Squad, the NYPD/U.S. Marshal Regional Task Force, and supervised the Bronx/Manhattan Warrant Squads.
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In Chicago, Chief Tracy held the position as the principal Crime Control Strategist. In this capacity, Chief Tracy instituted various strategies that greatly affected crime statistics.
As the Chief of Police for the Wilmington Department of Police, Chief Tracy continued the course with his strategies. He has created and instituted the CompStat process along with developing and streamlining the department’s methods for Intelligence-Based Policing. Chief Tracy has also implemented Group Violence Intervention in conjunction with the National Network of Safe Communities and John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.
Chief Tracy holds a Masters in Public Administration from Marist College and a Bachelor of Arts in History from SUNY, Empire State College, and has received professional training in various topics. He is currently a member of the ATF National Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board; the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF); the International Association of Chiefs of Police/Private Sector Liaison Section; the Delaware Police Chiefs’ Association; and the Delaware Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Group, as well as numerous other groups and boards.
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Chief Tracy was born in the Bronx, New York City, NY, is married, and has five children.
Sara Koziacki
Human Resources Supervisor
"Through my years of service with the SLMPD, I have always appreciated being one person that helps applicants achieve their dreams of becoming a police officer. It makes me proud to welcome new recruits into the police academy and watch them be successful.
When I see recruits walk across the stage at graduation and become a member of the police family it gives me a sense of accomplishment knowing they are going to serve the community with integrity and pride."
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Email: koziackis@stlouis-mo.gov | (P) 314-444-5893
Recruitment Team
Community Engagement & Recruitment Unit
Email: recruitment@slmpd.org | (P) 314-444-5881
315 S. Tucker Blvd.
St. Louis Mo. 63102
Featured officers
Officer Darrell Cain
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"When you find your purpose, you never have to work a day in your life."
Darrell grew up in the Walnut Park area of North St. Louis, and feels like he is called to serve his community when he decided to join SLMPD. “I’m from St. Louis City. This is what I know. This is who I am,” he said confidently. For Darrell, being from St. Louis City and being able to be part of the community that he grew up in is a big part of why he is the change he wanted to see at SLMPD. “I got out,” he said. “And I want to be someone who reaches back and helps someone else.”
From 2008 to 2012, Darrell served in the United States Marine Corps until he was honorably discharged after being injured in Afghanistan. His military service helped instill a great sense of duty and service. “You go to some of these other municipalities, and they will let you know …. hey man, you guys see some wild things down there [at SLMPD],” he said. “And that kind of makes you proud of what you do. It kind of gives you a sense of purpose like. Ninety-five percent of this job is just listening.”
Darrell believes that as a police officer, he wants to be out and visible. “I try to get out and interact with the community every single day. That’s my thing. Whether it be some kids playing basketball. Throwing the football around. I’m getting out there with them.”
“There should not be a day that goes by where you should NOT make a difference,” he stressed. Darrell works patrol in North St. Louis and before the pandemic also coached youth football.
For him, it’s also about feeling challenged. “No day is the same. You come in here thinking, you know…today is gonna be like yesterday, you’re completely wrong. That’s what I love about this job. There’s no routine.”
And for Darrell, it’s about having a career that you love and believe in. “It is a calling for me. My dad used to always say that when you find your purpose and passion in life, you’ll never have to work a day in your life,” he smiled. “I would do this job for free just because I love it that much. I love interacting with people. I love cleaning up the community.”
Officer David Goldschmidt
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"It’s important that people trust the badge, and I must be a builder of that trust."
At 48, David was not your typical Police Academy recruit. “Everyone called me Grandpa,” he laughed warmly, his eyes smiling.
“I went down to the recruiter and sat down across from him, and I said, ‘Hey listen … I’m 48 years old. Is this completely out of line?’ He said, ‘Listen, what we’ve really lost here in the department is people with experience. Not just police experience, but life experience.’ David remembered.
“I saw an opportunity to serve my community in a very meaningful, powerful way.”
David, now 49 and a father of five, never considered becoming a police officer. But after witnessing a fight in his neighborhood, he felt compelled to get involved. With the support of his wife and kids behind him, he joined the SLMPD police academy last year.
“There’s clearly a gap between the community and the police department. Not just here in St. Louis, but nationwide. That gap needs to be closed,” David explained. “I think everybody recognizes that.”
“However, it wasn’t enough for me personally to sit there and make a comment about that reality. It was important for me to BE THE CHANGE that I saw needed between policing and the community.”
For David, joining SLMPD was not only a chance to give back, but also an opportunity to grow as a person. “Being a police officer in the city of St. Louis has undoubtedly made me a better person. I’m a better person physically. Intellectually. Emotionally.” He smiled. “I am so happy to be here.”
David works patrol, answering calls from the public. He feels that when he leaves the house for work, he has a great responsibility. “When I put this badge on at the beginning of the day, I understand that there are expectations associated with that. The badge means something to the St. Louis community. And the community needs to trust this badge. So it’s important for me to be a builder of that trust.”
career path
The opportunities in the St. Louis Police Department are as unique as your passion and talent—from Cyber Crimes to the K-9 unit. In the beginning we all start in the same place, patrolling our communities. It offers a powerful chance to connect with our neighborhoods and develop relationships with people whose support we depend on to be the best St. Louis can be. ​
Newly commissioned officers will serve for 12 months as Probationary Police Officers before being promoted to Police Officers. Many officers find it rewarding to spend their entire careers as a patrol officer however within one to three years as a commissioned officer you may be eligible to apply for another department/unit.
COMMUNITY POLICING
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Officer Wellness
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Patrol Divisons
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South
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South Patrol Area & Desk/Holdover​
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District 1 & 2
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Central
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Central Patrol Area & Desk/Holdover​
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District 3 & 4
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Housing Authority
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North
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North Patrol Area & Desk/Holdover​
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District 5 & 6
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SPECIALIZED ENFORCEMENT​
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Drug Enforcement & Intervention
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Mobile Reserve
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Park Rangers
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Public Transportation
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Special Operations Investigators
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Special Weapons & Tactics
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Canine​
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Aviation (Metro Air Support)
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Traffic/Mounted Patrol
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INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES
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Bomb & Arson
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Circuit Attorney Invest/Court Liaison
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DART
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Domestic Violence Prevention​
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Forensic Processing
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Homicide
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Juvenile
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Sex Crimes/Child Abuse​
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TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS & INVESTIGATIONS​
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Crime Analysis
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Crime Victims - Victim Services
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Community Engagement & Recruitment
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Environmental Investigations
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Federal Task Force Officers
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Gun Crime Intelligence Center
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Intellectual Property Crime Grant
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Real Time Crime Center
