Mo. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 85
Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 85.620 (2026)

Size of police force

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section MO-REVrevisor.mo.gov Justiaon Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

  85.620.  Size of police force — powers. — The police of the city may be appointed in such numbers, for such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by ordinance.  They shall have power to serve and execute all warrants, subpoenas, writs or other process, and to make arrests in the same manner as the marshal.  They may exercise such powers in areas leased or owned by the municipality outside of the boundaries of such municipality.  The marshal and policemen shall be conservators of the peace, and shall be active and vigilant in the preservation of good order within the city.

­­--------

(RSMo 1939 § 7126, A.L. 1990 H.B. 948, A.L. 1991 H.B. 462)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 6976; 1919 § 8427; 1909 § 9329

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases, 1960–1998 · leading case: Barnes v. City of Lawson, 820 S.W.2d 598 (Mo. Ct. App. 1991).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Barnes v. City of Lawson, 820 S.W.2d 598 (Mo. Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 6× “Section § 85.620, RSMo Supp.1990, provides that police of a fourth class city may be appointed in such numbers, for such time and in such manner as may be prescribed by ordinance.”
Johnson v. City of Buckner, 610 S.W.2d 406 (Mo. Ct. App. 1980). · cites it 4× “Johnson first contends the court erred in granting summary judgment on Counts I through V on a finding that he was an employee at will because under certain city ordinances he could not be discharged for disciplinary reasons without procedural steps being taken which the City…”
Cooper v. City of Creve Coeur, 556 S.W.2d 717 (Mo. Ct. App. 1977). · cites it 2× “1969, which pertains to City Police and Fire Departments, § 85.620, RSMo. 1969, provides that in cities of the fourth class “the police of the city may be appointed in such numbers, for such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by ordinance.”
Carter v. City of Pagedale, 982 S.W.2d 744 (Mo. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 4× “In response, City argues Section 85.620 expressly grants the board of aider-men the power to appoint the chief of police.”
State v. Jacks, 462 S.W.2d 744 (Mo. 1970). · cites it 3× “, provides that the marshal and policemen of cities shall be conservators of the peace, and shall be active and vigilant in the preservation of good order within the city. As stated by Ellis, his purpose in stopping appellant was to advise him to get the paint off the windows of…”
State v. Nunes, 546 S.W.2d 759 (Mo. Ct. App. 1977). “The officers were required by law [§ 85.620] to conserve good order and quell the fight.”
Hacker v. City of Potosi, 340 S.W.2d 166 (Mo. Ct. App. 1960). · cites it 2× “Section 85.620 RS 1949, V.A.M.S. provides that in cities of the fourth class “The police of the city may be appointed in such numbers, for such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by ordinance.”
State v. Henderson, 660 S.W.2d 373 (Mo. Ct. App. 1983). “” In addition, defendant testified he was a “conservator of the peace.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.