By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
A sweeping anti-crime bill signed into law recently by Governor Mike Parson included Valentines Law
Valentines Law, named after St. Louis County Police Officer Antonio Valentine, who died from injuries suffered during a police chase, increases the penalties for fleeing from law enforcement.
St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster says the passage of Valentines Law is good for everyone, not just law enforcement.
"It makes our community safer; it makes Missouri safer, and just a really good law and I think should have a profound effect on people running from us," Luster tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr.
Luster says people running from police is something that they see often.
"Part of that is they think that we're not going to chase them, and sometimes we don't, car chases are very difficult to navigate," Luster explains. "Circumstances can change in seconds, so you're always weighing the risk vs reward, is the danger this person’s presenting outweigh us chasing them or not, because of the risk it imposes."
The anti-crime package signed into law, carried out by Parkville Senator Tony Luetkemeyer, also included Max's Law and Blair's Law.
Luster praises Luetkemeyer for carrying the bill through a divisive session.
"He was able to get those three kind of wrapped into one bill and get those through the finish line, along with some help from both sides of the aisle, to get those over the finish line and get those signed into law, "Luster says.
Luetkemeyer has worked to get this package passed through the last three legislative sessions but ran into several roadblocks along the way.
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