A continuous narrative alleges that Neil fired a detective who had previously investigated him, and that the decision to hire Neil was influenced by officials who later faced legal trouble, including a former mayor jailed over alleged sex crimes.

Brandin Neil, Riverview’s chief of police, has a history of alleged excessive force, with three incidents captured on camera and two resulting in court actions.

A 2026 incident involves Neil’s protection detail with the former mayor Cornell and payments for club trips, with Neil saying he was supposed to be paid for those duties; a related lawsuit against Riverview over accrued comp time was dismissed after he did not appear at a hearing.

Jailhouse recordings and local records raise questions about state alignments, including possible Missouri POST investigations into Neil’s conduct, with local officials offering little comment.

Multiple inquiries are noted, including potential Missouri POST scrutiny and ongoing or contemplated actions by state agencies, with no public state comment at publication.

State agency oversight and possible Missouri POST investigations are referenced, with jailhouse calls hinting at scrutiny but no confirmed public action.

Neil has said he is working toward compliance and community engagement since his return, emphasizing transparency and collaboration with neighboring departments and officials.

The Riverview department remains furloughed into December, with Neil serving as a civilian and coordinating with St. Louis County Police on city calls.

As of the report, Riverview’s police department is largely furloughed, and neighboring agencies are handling calls while Neil remains in a leadership role as a civilian.

The furlough is expected to last through December, with Neil promising to assist neighboring agencies as a civilian while investigations and public scrutiny continue.

A May 2019 incident at a South City bar involving Abbey Busch led to internal affairs scrutiny and her departure from the department; the incident was reportedly deemed not factual by the department.

There are allegations that Neil was under Missouri POST investigation for an earlier incident from his time with another department, discussed in jail calls involving former city officials.