Donnell Walters - Sergeant-at-Arms
Donny Walters has been a sworn member of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for 20 years. He served as a Police Officer working District Level Community Policing, SWAT Unit, and Academy Instructor. Donny currently is a Sergeant who has supervised officers of the Community Engagement, Police Athletic League, and Recruiting Units.
Donny is also the SLMPD Hostage Negotiator team leader and training coordinator. He is a nationally certified Defensive Tactics Instructor, SABRE LE Aerosol Projector Instructor, Firearms Instructor, and a Missouri Licensed Generalists Instructor. He is also the subject matter expert of the SLMPD De-Escalation curriculum as well as the sole instructor of the departments program which he created in 2014 post the Ferguson Riots. Donny has also been featured in the documentary “De-Escalation Saving Lives”.
Donny is currently the President of the Ethical Society of Police (ESOP). The Ethical Society of Police was founded in 1972 by African American Police officers to address race-based discrimination within the community and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. ESOP prides themselves on being public servants who champion fairness, equality, and service. ESOP is approximately 97% African American, but is open to all races, religions, and sexual orientations. Routinely asked, why there is a need for a predominately African American police association like ESOP? Answer, ESOP members have faced challenges with hiring, promotion, discipline, and more. Obstacles ESOP members face in law enforcement are like the challenges African Americans face throughout the world with systemic racism. Donny has been quoted in several news media outlets for speaking out against police brutality and unjust killing of African Americans by police officers.
Donny is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated as well as a devoted father and grandfather.
