On Monday, the business manager of the St. Louis Police Union Jeff Roorda confirmed that he had been terminated from his position after almost 12 years. Roorda became infamous following the Ferguson 2014 police killing of Michael Brown.
In 2015, he also wrote “Ferghanistan: The War on Police,” which he labeled the “untold story of Ferguson, Missouri.” The controversial book featured interviews from Darren Wilson (the officer who shot Brown) and other officers who claimed they were shot after Brown’s death.
Jay Schroeder, the union’s president, thanked Roorda for his his contributions in a statement Monday afternoon. Schrooder also shared that retired St. Louis detective Joe Steiger will become the new business manager on Oct. 3.
Members of the St. Louis Police Officers Association decided not to renew Roorda’s contract in April because Roorda was running for Missouri Senate as the representative for Jefferson County’s District 22. He wound up losing the August primary.
In a statement about his departure, Roorda wrote:
“Today, my thoughts are with the men and women of the St. Louis Police Department. I have fought hard for them for eleven-and-a-half years and I am greatly concerned about what the future holds for them as I exit my position with the St. Louis Police Officers Association.”
He continued:
“The Police Association is deeply divided right now. Apprehension about the leadership of the current president led this month to contentious elections for several positions on the organization’s board. The Association is truly at a crossroads right now.”
Furthermore, he stated that St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones played a huge factor in the decision:
“The current president seems to believe that parting ways with me will curry favor in the form of police raises with an anti-police Mayor who has demanded my ouster in retaliation for my tireless advocacy for our officers. What comes of this gesture of appeasement remains to be seen. As for me, I have no regrets. I’m proud that I stood-up for cops at a time when a false and divisive narrative threatened the future of the profession and the safety of our region. For that, I offer no apologies.”