ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – New changes are now underway, following months long efforts by St. Louis County law enforcement agencies working with the Juvenile Court to make positive changes in the juvenile crime problem.

“They’re fantastic,” Major Ron Martin said. “I think if you look at the changes, and you don’t think they’re fantastic, something is wrong with you.”

FOX 2 brought him the list of seven things the St. Louis County juvenile courts have said they’re doing to improve public safety and teen suspect accountability.

“It’s an exciting process, and I think one that’s definitely going to reduce a lot of these violent crime incidents involving the kids,” Martin said.

Changes include: assigning a deputy juvenile officer as a liaison with a police department, and assigning a chief warrant legal officer as a direct liaison to assist officers.

“It’s a win-win for everybody. There’s no doubt, these are great, great things that have come to light, and they’ve come to light simply because that communication process,” Martin said.

The communication process in which he’s referring is an October meeting between north St. Louis County stakeholders and the juvenile courts. NCPC Chief John Buchannan granted FOX 2 exclusive access to that meeting.

“We want to get it out there. It’s not law enforcement, it’s a whole system of things that we’ve got to get changed, so that’s why we’re doing this,” Buchannan said.

Police officers gave consistent reports about juvenile courts reportedly refusing to lock up young and potentially dangerous offenders.

“We take them to juvenile, and then they’re back out within an hour, and in another stolen car,” Lt. Etheria Thompson, Dellwood precinct commander, said at the meeting.

Several officers from that October meeting said they’ve heard nothing but support from people who’ve seen our FOX Files report on this issue.

“…And I think with you shedding light on the issue. It’s affected some positive change for us. So, thank you,” Martin said. “I’m excited about what it’s going to bring. And if it brings that reduction in our juvenile crime problem, I don’t think you could ask for anything else.”

Here’s the complete list of updates as presented to FOX 2 by the St. Louis County juvenile courts:

Since multiple meetings with multiple St. Louis County law enforcement agencies over the summer and fall:

We have met with North County Cooperative, and we are looking to partner more by planning to have DJOs assigned as a liaison with the department in the future.

We have assigned our Chief Warrant Legal Officer as a direct liaison to assist officers of the North County Cooperative.

We have connected with the Normandy School District along with the School Resource Officers to consider more partnering on diversion efforts for students.

We have committed to sharing data with each other’s agency to follow trends and to have strategy discussions based on data trends.

We have communicated to our LE partners on youth who are alleged to have committed first degree tampering of a motor vehicle that if presented with a legal sufficient presentation that we will have the presumption that those youth would be detained at our detention center pending further court proceedings.

We have offered to conduct training and listening sessions with our LE agencies to better improve communications.

We have offered to be at community events to hear from community residents in regards to juvenile crime impacts.