After publicly encouraging Cape Girardeau residents to vote 'no' against a city tax for road improvements before the August primary, the Cape Girardeau Police Officers Association voted at its meeting Tuesday to support a casino measure on the November ballot.

The discussion and vote to support a casino being developed in Cape Girardeau was quick, said association president Sgt. Bill Bohnert, and only a few officers opposed the measure.

"Morally, some couldn't support it ... either for religious or personal reasons," Bohnert said. "Most of them, though, are fully in support of it and are trying to get it to pass."

Much of the association's decision to support the ballot measure is based on the need for a larger police force. Bohnert said the police department often struggles to staff certain hours, especially night shifts. The action to oppose the previous city ballot measure wasn't discussed Tuesday, according to Bohnert.

If residents vote to support a casino coming to town and the Missouri Gaming Commission awards the state's final gambling license to Cape Girardeau, the association hopes the city will agree to hire additional staff once the $125 million operation is built.

"We haven't added any police officers in this city in a little over 20 years," Bohnert said.

Bohnert said safety is the association's main concern.

"We're hoping that somewhere along the line we're going to get some more officers. We're really stretched thin," he said. Cape Girardeau is one of three cities competing for the state's 13th casino license. If voters don't approve the measure Nov. 2, the commission could give the license to operations in St. Louis or Sugar Creek near Kansas City, or could choose not to give out any license.

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