Mizzou addresses crime in Columbia 

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri announced a plan to address downtown crime following a triple shooting Saturday morning in the heart of downtown.

The university announced a series of new initiatives aimed at addressing a recent spike in crime near the college campus. 

The entire plan outlined in the joint statement between the university and the city of Columbia:

• Increase staffing at the Columbia Police Department and MUPD
• CPD and MUPD will continue the increase in foot patrol in the downtown region during peak weekend hours
• Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude has confirmed that the Missouri Department of Highway Patrol will provide officers to patrol downtown during peak hours of the weekend
• Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey also will provide additional deputies to patrol downtown Columbia
• Meeting with U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri Matt Price to discuss federal prosecutive resources and other programs to improve public safety
• Meeting with Governor Mike Kehoe to discuss state prosecutive resources and other programs to improve public safety
• Support the Ride Home program that returns people who come to the city for health care to their home community outside of Boone County
• Request that every downtown business owner complete a letter of enforcement
• Conduct a review of city ordinances to improve crowd control and safety – especially downtown. Immediate actions will be taken when appropriate
• Conduct a review of downtown to address environmental issues, including lighting, business hours of operation, individuals sleeping on or blocking sidewalks and traffic flow for vehicles. Immediate actions will be taken when appropriate
• Conduct an internal audit of all cases handled by the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office involving weapons offenses downtown as well as trespass, peace disturbance, and misdemeanor assault cases county-wide to ensure these offenses are being prosecuted consistently, effectively and in alignment with office goals and community safety priorities. Immediate actions will be taken when appropriate.

In addition to the plan, Mizzou sent an email to students and staff about safety that reads:

“Your safety on the MU campus and in adjoining neighborhoods in Columbia is of paramount concern to us and your families. We’re so grateful for the excellent work of our MUPD officers in ensuring a safe environment on campus. 

We’ve also made significant investments in lighting, advanced cameras with license plate readers and safety apps and training for your safety and well-being.  

Downtown Columbia is one of the reasons that our university is so popular. There are excellent eateries, cultural venues and fun shops for our students to enjoy. But we are facing significant crime issues in downtown Columbia which is very unfortunate. The Columbia Police Department has increased patrols and other safety measures to address crime issues. 

The university along with Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe recently announced a set of immediate action items to improve public safety in downtown Columbia. We are very hopeful for the success of these actions.  

But the success of public safety programs also requires some personal responsibility.”