JEFFERSON CITY • A bipartisan group of senators blocked a bill that would give local control of the St. Louis police department back to the city during debate in the Missouri Senate this morning.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis, said he expected much of the opposition and believes the bill will be brought back up for debate again. A House version of the bill, sponsored by Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, passed earlier this session.

The Legislature has debated the issue for several years, but the bill usually bogs down. Currently, the governor appoints the police board, in an arrangement that dates to the Civil War.

St. Louis city and business leaders are pushing hard to see the bill passed this year. But for those senators opposed to the state giving up control, it's those city leaders — or some of them, at least — who are the problem.

Republican Sens. Jim Lembke and Rob Schaaf both criticized the city in debate today, with Lembke saying the city is "dysfunctional" and Schaaf suggesting aldermen might be corrupt.

Two Democratic senators — Maria Chappelle-Nadal and Ryan McKenna — said they opposed the bill because police officers are against it.

"I have not had one police officer tell me this is a good idea," McKenna said.

Sen. Tim Green, D-Spanish Lake, said he's tired of the local control debate. Green said it makes no sense for senators to continue to block the ability of elected officials in St. Louis to run their own police department.

"If those individuals don't like what the mayor is doing, run a candidates against him," Green said.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and Board of Alderman president Lewis Reed both back the local control proposal. So does retired investor and political activist Rex Sinquefield, the prolific political donor who is also behind the vote to get rid of the city's earnings tax.

Gov. Jay Nixon has expressed opposition to the local control bill.