The St. Louis Regional Crime Commission is a 501(c)(3) public safety, non-profit organization in good standing, that has been in existence since 2006. The organization is comprised of St. Louis Area police chiefs, business owners, and civic leaders, and is based on the firm belief that crime prevention and crime solving efforts work best with community awareness, engagement, and support. All of us benefit from a safer community, and all of us can and should play a role in that effort.
Under the leadership of Ed Dowd and the Executive Committee, the St. Louis Regional Crime Commission supports programs that help reduce and solve violent crime and help make neighborhoods safer for innocent citizens and children, all while supporting law enforcement in the St. Louis Region.
Board Members
Judge Jimmie M. Edwards (Ret.)
Member, Lashly & Baer, P.C.
Chairman of the Board, St. Louis Regional Crime Commission
Judge Jimmie M. Edwards (Ret.) is an attorney with Lashly & Baer, P.C., where he advises government clients on compliance, litigation, and administrative matters. From 2017 to 2020, he served as Director of Public Safety for the City of St. Louis, overseeing key departments including police, fire, and corrections.
Edwards previously served 25 years as a judge on the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, including terms as Chief Juvenile Court Judge and Administrative Judge of the Family Court. His work in juvenile justice earned national recognition, including the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence presented by Chief Justice John Roberts.
He has received honorary law degrees from Saint Louis University and Eden Theological Seminary, and was named to Ebony magazine’s “Power 100” list in 2013.
James Whyte
Ex. Dir. Central West End Security Initiative
Board President, St. Louis Regional Crime Commission & St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers Tip Hotline
Jim Whyte served his community for 20 years during his career with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Jim retired in 2009 after a successful and distinguished career. Moving onto his next role, Jim spent a year in Iraq serving as a Law Enforcement Professional, assisting U.S., Coalition and Iraqi Forces with criminal network investigations.
In 2012, Jim transitioned to a new community-based role as Executive Director of the Central West End Neighborhood Security Initiative where he has collaborated with residents and businesses to create the safest possible environment. Jim’s leadership in combining technology and human resources to benefit the area has been recognized on a regional and national level.
Keith J. Kehrer
Attorney, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
Board Secretary, St. Louis Regional Crime Commission and St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers Tip Hotline Program
Mr. Kehrer focuses his legal practice on tax-exempt organizations, advising a broad range of nonprofits—including private foundations, educational institutions, religious organizations, and social welfare groups—on compliance with IRS regulations under Section 501(c). His work includes guidance on tax qualification, charitable planning, lobbying restrictions, unrelated business income, and executive compensation.
He also represents clients in IRS audits, appeals, Tax Court cases, and investigations by state Attorneys General. In addition to legal counsel, he provides support for charitable registration, fundraising compliance, and commercial co-ventures.
A certified public accountant, Mr. Kehrer teaches nonprofit law at Washington University School of Law and serves as Co-Chair of the Tax-Exempt Organizations Committee of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. He is a frequent speaker, published author on nonprofit governance and tax issues, and managing editor of a legal blog focused on the nonprofit sector.
Arsenio L. Mims
Attorney, Dowd Bennett LLP
Board Vice President, St. Louis Regional Crime Commission
Arsenio L. Mims focuses his legal practice on complex commercial litigation, product liability defense, employment law, corporate internal investigations, and cases involving fraud and the False Claims Act. He also represents clients in multi-district litigation across the country, handling all stages of litigation from strategy and discovery to trial and appeal.
Before joining Dowd Bennett, Arsenio served as a law clerk to the Honorable Michael M. Mihm in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. He earned his J.D. from the University of Missouri School of Law, where he was on the Dean’s List, named to the Order of Barristers, and became the first African-American Editor-in-Chief of any law journal at the school.
A former NCAA Division I athlete, Arsenio captained the Western Illinois University men’s basketball team and was named a National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American as a senior. He remains active in the community through board service with St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the Guardian Angel Settlement Association, and has contributed to initiatives like the Missouri Bar’s Special Committee on Lawyers of Color.
Keith Oexeman
Manager, Business Advisory Services, RubinBrown LLP
Board Treasurer, St. Louis Regional Crime Commission & St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers Tip Hotline Program
Keith Oexeman is a Manager in RubinBrown’s Business Advisory Services Group, bringing nearly four decades of experience in financial management, internal auditing, risk advisory, and accounting. With almost 20 years of leadership in global manufacturing environments, Keith has held senior roles in internal audit, SOX compliance, and financial operations, including work within SAP-based systems.
His areas of expertise include internal audit, enterprise risk management, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, fraud and forensic investigations, business improvement initiatives, and merger and acquisition planning. He also advises on FCPA implementation, operational audits, internal controls, and general ledger system conversions.
Keith holds a B.S. in Accounting from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. He remains active in the community, serving on the St. Louis Regional Crime Commission Advisory Board and the Advisory Board for SIU’s School of Accountancy.
Francis G. Slay Sr.
Executive Director, St. Louis Regional Crime Commission
Francis G. Slay Sr. has served as Executive Director of the St. Louis Regional Crime Commission since February 2022. He is best known for his tenure as the 45th Mayor of the City of St. Louis, serving four terms from 2001 to 2017—the longest in city history. Prior to becoming mayor, he served as President of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and as an alderman, following a legal career focused on commercial litigation.
A graduate of St. Mary’s High School, Slay earned a political science degree from Quincy University and a Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law. After leaving office in 2017, he returned to private law practice before accepting his current role leading regional efforts to reduce crime through collaboration with law enforcement and civic stakeholders.
Slay also serves as a member of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.