1. Subject to the provisions of sections 84.344 to 84.346, any city not within a county may establish a municipal police force for the purposes of:

(1) Preserving the public peace, welfare, and order;

Attorney's Note

Under the Missouri Laws, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class A misdemeanorup to 1 yearup to $2,000
For details, see Mo. Rev. Stat.§ 558.011

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 84.343

  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020

(2) Preventing crime and arresting suspected offenders;

(3) Enforcing the laws of the state and ordinances of the city;

(4) Exercising all powers available to a police force under generally applicable state law; and

(5) Regulating and licensing all private watchmen, private detectives, and private policemen serving or acting as such in said city.

2. Any person who acts as a private watchman, private detective, or private policeman in said cities without having obtained a written license from said cities is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.