According to KTVI-TV, St. Louis’s top prosecutor—Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner—has a so-called "exclusion list" of 28 police officers and will refuse to prosecute suspected criminals if any of those officers are deemed critical to such prosecutions.

Implying that those officers cannot be trusted to be truthful in legal proceedings, Gardner said in a written statement, "Police officers play an important role in the criminal justice system, and the credibility of officers is one of the most important attributes of the job."

She added, "To do our jobs properly and legally, we must have confidence in the accuracy and honesty of the oral and written reports of police officers. A police officer’s word, and the complete veracity of that word, is fundamentally necessary to doing the job. Therefore, any break in trust must be approached with deep concern."

Jeff Roorda—a spokesman for the St. Louis Police Officers Association—said he has a team of five attorneys reviewing the matter for possible legal action.

The St. Louis Police Department said in a written statement, "The Police Division did receive an Exclusion List created by the Circuit Attorney’s Office. While we are seeking legal guidance on how this affects the Police Division, we have also taken steps to notify each of the involved employees. At this time, we are considering how best to proceed and what if any actions to take. Any further inquiries should be directed to the Circuit Attorney’s Office."