ST. LOUIS–Gabe Gore was sworn in Tuesday as the next circuit attorney for the city of St. Louis, officially ending an interim period where Gov. Mike Parson's general counsel was running the day-to-day functions of the office following Kim Gardner's abrupt resignation earlier this month.

Gardner had announced plans for her resignation to take effect June 1, but instead left the post May 16.

Gore, a former federal prosecutor and most recently a partner at the law firm Dowd Bennett, was sworn in at a Carnahan Courthouse ceremony before an audience that included former Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, a fellow Dowd Bennett partner, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, St. Louis police chief Robert Tracy, St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, and others.

In remarks after taking the oath, Gore said the work of restoring public faith in the office is "a responsibility I accept knowing failure is not an option."

Echoing the comments made when he was first announced as Gov. Parson's choice to lead the office through at least January 1, 2025, Gore spoke Tuesday of creating a "culture of excellence" and stabilizing an office hobbled by staff defections, which added to a backlog of cases.

"We understand full well that we're going to have to do these things all at once. We have no illusions. This will not be easy. But starting today, working together, we can restore the public's confidence and trust in the circuit attorney's office because public service is a public trust. We're ready to get to work," he said.

Gore had said he was in touch with former circuit attorney staff who had interest in returning, and on his first day, he confirmed that former Chief Trial Attorney Marvin Teer had come back in the same role.

Teer and Gore worked together when Gore was named a member of the Ferguson Commission and Teer was appointed to a post in the state's Office of Community Engagement at the same time.

Teer's return still leaves the Circuit Attorney's Office without a First Assistant Trial Attorney, a Chief Warrant Officer and a Chief of Homicide Attorney at the senior staff level, in addition to openings at the assistant circuit attorney level.

Gore's swearing-in brought no immediate announcement yet on how the offers of assistance from prosecutors in neighboring municipalities would be handled, along with pro bono assistance from the private sector to help staff up the office. Those discussions have been happening prior to his swearing-in and were to continue.

The Attorney General's office, which has lent support to the Circuit Attorney's Office since Gardner's resignation, will continue to do so for an unspecified period.

St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said his office would be in position to help with staff on a shift basis, with some ability to help with longer-term needs if necessary. 

Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres and State Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, have already voiced support for a state-level supplemental appropriation if necessary to pay for costs incurred by neighboring jurisdictions who lend staff to the effort in St. Louis.

Stabilizing the office is getting "100%" of Gore's attention, he said, not the thought of whether he'll seek the office at the ballot box in 2024.

Former Gov. Nixon, who appointed Gore to the Ferguson Commission and a seat on the Missouri State University Board of Directors, described him as an "intellectual, smart guy who's gonna provide an opportunity for this region to make a major pivot on what's been a vexing issue."

"This is not about a political campaign, this is about public safety in one of the greatest cities in the world, and clearly the pubic is not getting what they desire in that regard and Gabe will be the kind of leader that helps brings this city to where it can be flowering again in the future," Nixon said.