December 8, 2024
He referred to the recognition as a ‘big honor’ that is owed to the community he serves.
St. Louis officially declared Wesley Bell Day on Dec. 6 to honor the county’s first Black prosecutor.
According to Fox 2, Local leaders held a celebratory event at the St. Louis County Department of Justice as County Executive Sam Page made the declaration. Bell made history with his appointment to the role, which he held since 2019.
He referred to the recognition as a “big honor” that is owed to the community he serves.
“To me, it is a testament to the men and women of the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office who wake up every day with the idea of public safety, with the idea of treating our victims with the dignity and respect that they deserve, and keeping this region safe. In that way, it’s a big honor,” he said.
Bell took over as the St. Louis County’s prosecuting attorney after beating long-time Democratic incumbent Bob McCulloch in the primary. Following McCulloch’s controversial decision not to prosecute the officer who fatally shot Black teen Michael Brown in 2014, Bell ran a campaign that prioritized criminal justice reform. His platform included community-based policing and progressive policies regarding marijuana, the latter enacted shortly after he took office.
During his tenor, Bell established the Diversion Committee and the Incident Review Unit. The unit allows people who have been wrongfully convicted to petition for the prosecuting attorney to review their case. Bell considers the measure, the first to be created in the country, a stride for criminal justice reform.
However, Bell will transition outside of local politics to help serve his St. Louis on a national scale. He was recently elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving on behalf of Missouri’s first district.
“This job as well as my soon-to-be job is about the work,” he added. “It’s about representing the interests of my constituents. The people right here in this region.”
While Bell will continue serving St. Louis in another capacity, the race to appoint his successor, a growing battle between Page and Missouri Governor Mike Parson, wages on. Page has already announced his pick for the next prosecuting attorney, but the GOP leader has assured his own plans to make the appointment.
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