The Missouri State Highway Patrol has scaled back its hours on St. Louis interstate highways following a 90-day pilot program aimed at helping to reduce crime.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch obtained a police memo showing that starting Oct. 14, troopers reduced their presence along Interstate 55 and Interstate 70 to about six hours a day. Troopers had been patrolling those interstates for 21 hours a day since July, when Gov. Eric Greitens announced a plan aimed at allowing city police to focus on dangerous crime.
Greitens spokesman Parker Briden says the pilot program was a "great success." It isn't clear if police officials agree. Interim Police Chief Lawrence O'Toole referred questions to the patrol.