COLUMBIA — The Columbia Police Department said it is temporarily reassigning a patrol sergeant to focus full-time on overnight downtown operations in the wake of a shooting that left two people injured and one dead.
The Police Department issued a news release Wednesday in response to questions about downtown safety with details on its downtown operations.
According to the news release, nearly half of CPD's on-duty officers are reallocated downtown on most Friday and Saturday nights. Additional officers have also been deployed during Mizzou home football weekends this fall on overtime assignments.
There were approximately 11 officers in the downtown area last weekend, when a shooting happened in the area of East Broadway and Tenth Street early Saturday morning, according to the news release.
Resources dedicated to downtown on weekend nights after 10 p.m. are approximately double what they were in recent years.
The patrol sergeant assigned to overnight downtown operations will coordinate patrol units, overtime officers and partner agency resources to ensure continuity and effectiveness, according to the Police Department.
CPD said in the news release that the University of Missouri Police Department, Boone County Sheriff's Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol have committed to providing additional uniformed officers downtown during upcoming weekends, but current resources do not allow for a full-time dedicated downtown unit.
Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude wrote in a letter to the community Tuesday that the Police Department is exploring the reestablishment of a dedicated downtown unit and hopes to launch it in the summer of 2026.
The number of officers that are available to assist downtown is subject to change as calls for service throughout the city have an impact on police resources, according to the news release.
According to the news release, CPD has also been working with other city departments to address safety challenges through traffic and crowd management.
Recent initiatives include traffic flow improvements, rideshare partnerships and food vendor oversight. These initiatives are aimed at reducing congestion and improving overall safety for downtown residents and visitors, according to the Police Department.
"As our staffing has grown, we've been able to place more officers where they are most needed, particularly in our downtown area," Schlude said in the news release. "We recognize that creating a safe environment requires more than enforcement, which is why we are working with other City departments and law enforcement partners to address the full range of issues affecting our community."
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