News 4 Investigates: Deal lets new police chief have part of paycheck cut by a non-profit

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - News 4 Investigates uncovered new details on the deal that lets St. Louis’ new police chief have a sizable part of his paycheck cut by a non-profit.

Chief Robert Tracy makes $275,000 a year, of that $100,000 is funded by the St. Louis Police Foundation, a non-profit backed by big names, including corporations and sports team owners.

Tracy signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” with the St. Louis Police Foundation, spelling out what he has to do to secure the $100,000. The deal was signed in January, but it wasn’t made public until now.

The memorandum made it clear that Tracy is an independent contractor and not an employee of the foundation.

One of the first parts of the deal said Tracy has to try and, “improve and increase the transparency, accessibility and reputation of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.”

It lists three specific “outreach efforts” that Tracy has to do. They are; quarterly meetings with his officers, annual meetings with each city aldermanic ward, and “regular communications to city residents.”

Tracy recently sat down with News 4 for an interview. News 4 asked him about the pay deal and if he’s beholden to the people who back the St. Louis Police Foundation.

“No, I’m not beholden to them. I’m beholden to everybody in the community, even the business leaders but everybody as a whole so my integrity my character is not going to be compromised because that was a deal with the city, and not a deal to me personally,” Tracy said. “It was overall to try to make this attractive, and they worked out an agreement, and I happened to the recipient.”

There are only two signatures on the deal Tracy’s and the Chairman of the St. Louis Police Foundation.

Tracy claims this deal was on the table regardless of who got the job, and he said without it he would have taken a pay cut.

Having the police chief’s pay supplemented by a nonprofit is a first in St. Louis. Tracy’s predecessor, Former Chief John Hayen made $157,000 annual salary, about half of Tracy’s pay.

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