ST. LOUIS — Lawyers for the city and its sheriff traded legal jabs in court Wednesday in a fight over whether a new ordinance can force Sheriff Alfred Montgomery's office to transport jail inmates to appointments and justify its expenses to the city comptroller.

David Mason, a lawyer for Montgomery, argued the law was an unfunded mandate that threatened public safety by moving deputies from other office functions, including protecting courtrooms and serving papers for restraining orders, to meet the demands of transporting jail inmates for emergency care.

"There are not enough sheriffs available," Mason said.

The hearing came two days after Mayor Cara Spencer signed a law that was designed to address two issues raised by aldermen: Montgomery's repeated refusal to take inmates from the c

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