Public Safety Committee forwards St. Louis psychiatrist’s appointment to full Board of Aldermen

Chair Noran convened the Public Safety Committee and introduced the committee’s sole agenda item: the mayoral appointment of Dr. Mark Mullen to the detention facility oversight board. Dr. Mullen introduced himself as an assistant professor of psychiatry at St. Louis University School of Medicine and said he directs the consultation liaison psychiatry service at St. Louis University Hospital.

Dr. Mark Mullen said many incarcerated patients who need psychiatric care are treated on the medical floor of his hospital because they are ineligible for psychiatric-unit admission due to security restrictions. He told the committee he has a long history of treating individuals held at the CJC and said he is "passionate about caring for the most vulnerable people in society." The committee heard that he has lived in St. Louis for about 24 cumulative years and that his clinical experience with detained patients gives him familiarity with medical and mental-health needs inside local detention settings.

Committee members offered unanimous support and had no substantive questions. Alderman Oldenberg and Alderwoman Clark Hubard praised Dr. Mullen’s qualifications; Alderwoman Sier and Alderwoman Velasquez echoed that praise and noted the relevance of clinical expertise for detainee care. Vice Chair Aldry also thanked Dr. Mullen for his willingness to serve. Alderwoman Boyd briefly joined the meeting and had no questions.

After brief procedural clarification about who moved and seconded, the committee took no objections to the motion to appoint Dr. Mark Mullen and voted to forward the nomination to the full Board of Aldermen for final confirmation. The committee chair told Dr. Mullen that he likely would not need to appear again before the committee and that the confirmation vote would occur at the full Board of Aldermen meeting the next day.

The committee had earlier considered a procedural item: members voted to approve the minutes from the March 12, 2026 meeting by roll-call, with six "I" votes recorded. With no further business, the committee moved, seconded, and, hearing no objections, adjourned.

The next procedural step is the Board of Aldermen confirmation vote; the committee forwarded the appointment to that body for final action.