Mo. Rev. Stat. § 56.470 (2026)

  56.470.  Arrests for felony or misdemeanor to be reported to circuit attorney, when — penalty for failure (St. Louis City). — 1.  It shall be the duty of the chief of police of the City of St.  Louis, within twenty hours after the arrest by the police of any person for felony or misdemeanor under the laws of this state, to report to the circuit attorney the name of the person so arrested and the name of the prosecuting witness and of any other material witnesses known to the police, and said circuit attorney or his assistants shall thereupon proceed to institute such prosecution as is required by law if, in the judgment of such circuit attorney, the evidence presented to him is sufficient to justify a prosecution.

  2.  Any willful failure on the part of the chief of police, or other officer whose duty it shall be to act in the premises, to comply with the provisions of this section, shall be deemed a misdemeanor, and the offending party may be indicted and, upon conviction, punished by fine of not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars, any law of this state or any ordinance of the City of St. Louis to the contrary notwithstanding.