A former federal prosecutor and member of the Ferguson Commission has officially taken over the circuit attorney鈥檚 office in St. Louis.
Gabriel Gore took the oath Tuesday in the ceremonial courtroom at the Mel Carnahan Courthouse in downtown, in front of an audience that included St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, former Gov. Jay Nixon, and several judges of the 22nd Circuit.
Gov. Mike Parson to the role May 19, after former Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner earlier than expected. Gore said he was thankful to Parson for the opportunity to 鈥渞estore the public trust and confidence in the circuit attorney鈥檚 office.鈥�
鈥淚t is a responsibility that I accept knowing that failure is not an option,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 seek a high level of public safety for every citizen in the St. Louis region. That is what is necessary for our region to prosper and thrive.鈥�
Gardner called herself a progressive prosecutor, with a heavy emphasis on diversion. Gore promised to be a prosecutor who 鈥渓ooks at the facts and enforces the law as written.鈥�
Gore鈥檚 first major challenge will be staffing. Though exact numbers were never clear, the number of prosecutors handling violent crimes was in the single digits at the time of Gardner鈥檚 departure. And Gore said Tuesday that of the five positions he considers senior staff, it was his understanding that just one 鈥� chief of misdemeanors 鈥� was filled.
The attorney general鈥檚 office provided prosecutors to get the warrant office reopened 鈥� it had been run using an email inbox since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors from six neighboring counties have also offered their assistance.
鈥淚n the short term, we absolutely are ready to send some folks down,鈥� said St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell. 鈥淲e had internally anticipated this for a while.鈥�
Gore said he had heard from many former assistant circuit attorneys who were interested in returning as well.
鈥淭hey are extremely devoted to this office, and they want to see it succeed,鈥� he said.
Gore also pledged to improve the relationship between the circuit attorney and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, which was often publicly at odds with Gardner. He and Chief Robert Tracy had already spoken several times on the phone before Tuesday鈥檚 ceremony.
Tracy said he鈥檚 looking forward to working with Gore.
鈥淲e're always going to have some differences, especially between the judicial, the prosecutors and the police. But we're always working them out. And I like to work out some of those things behind closed doors,鈥� Tracy said.
Gore on Tuesday declined to say whether he had any interest in running for a full term in the office next year, saying he hadn鈥檛 even given himself a timeline to make that decision.
鈥淚鈥檓 still in the period where 100% of my focus is on getting the office stabilized,鈥� he said. 鈥淟iterally, that鈥檚 all I think about all day. Since I鈥檝e been appointed, that鈥檚 all I鈥檝e been thinking about.鈥�
Defense attorney David Mueller had already announced his campaign, and several others are considering a run.
