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Nov. 5, 2019Jefferson City, MO |  By: AP

As gun violence and homicide rates increase greatly in MO, lawmakers stumped on how to combat problem

Missouri police and prosecutors disagree on how to best address gun violence racking the state.

Law enforcement officials testified during a Monday state Senate hearing on violence that has hit Missouri hard this year. Missouri's big cities have among the highest homicide rates in the nation.

Missouri Police Chiefs Association President Sean Fagan says the biggest issues are recruiting and keeping police. He says no one wants to be an officer because of increased public scrutiny of police.

Fagan called for better police protection and higher pay. He wants more resources to combat drug crimes and is critical of releasing prisoners early.

St. Louis Prosecutor Kim Gardner says locking people up won't solve the issue. She advocated to improve witness protection programs and expand police outreach to schoolchildren.