St. Louis County’s Board of Police Commissioners is keeping its hunt for the next police chief in the family, opening an internal search after Colonel Kenneth Gregory’s retirement this month. Deputy Chief Juan Cox is holding the reins as acting chief while commissioners sort through potential command‑staff contenders.
Board Starts With Command Staff
Board Chair Richard Banks said the panel will begin its search with at least five members of the existing command staff and made clear he would rather promote from within. Cox remains acting chief in the meantime, and early names floated by department observers include lieutenant colonels Gerald Lohr, James Schneider, Jason Law and Norman Mann. The department has been picking internal chiefs since the 1990s, according to Spectrum News.
Gregory Leaves After Decades
Colonel Kenneth Gregory’s retirement took effect on May 1, 2026, closing the book on a career that began in December 1979 and stretched more than four decades. He was appointed St. Louis County police chief on Jan. 25, 2022, and the department recently honored him at a precinct dedication that doubled as a farewell. Those details are laid out by RiverBender.
Board Agenda Flags Personnel Talks
The Board of Police Commissioners’ May 20 meeting agenda signals that commissioners may go into closed session for legal advice and to discuss personnel matters, language that typically covers chief‑selection conversations. The agenda, posted by the department, lists the statutory exemptions the board could invoke while weighing personnel and safety issues. That agenda is available on the St. Louis County Police website.
Political Crosscurrents To Watch
Politics could complicate the choice. One command‑staff member, Jason Law, is simultaneously running for St. Charles County executive, a campaign that could affect how seriously he is considered for chief. Banks has also said he prefers candidates who already hold at least the rank of lieutenant colonel, a threshold that tightens the shortlist. Those dynamics will shape whether the board sticks with continuity or looks for more of a shake‑up, Spectrum News reports.
What Happens Next
Residents should expect the board to address the chief search in upcoming meetings, although there is still no public timeline for a permanent appointment. The development was also reported by the St. Louis Post‑Dispatch, which first noted the board’s internal search.
