CPD to host community meetings May 10-11 to address safety concerns

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department announced in a Friday press release that it will host a pair of public meetings to discuss crime trends and safety concerns with community members.

The two meetings scheduled are:

• 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 10 at the Community Room at the Molly Thomas Bowden Neighborhood Policing Center at 1204 International Drive. This meeting will include the North District which includes Columbia north of Interstate 70 and part of the area bordered by Providence Road, West Ash Street and Clinkscales Road)

• 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 11 in conference rooms 1A and B at City Hall. This meeting will include the South District, which includes Columbia south of Interstate 70 except for part of the area bordered by Providence Road, West Ash Street and Clinkscales Road.

Residents can also submit questions in advance to policepio@como.gov. The press release stated that emails should indicate if the resident lives in the north or south district.

"I mean, it is always good when they're willing to interact with the public," Hold Como Accountable's Anthony Willroth said. "But, we have some hesitancies about it for sure."

"I think it would be good to see them hold the meeting for everybody at once not separated by geography across the city," Willroth said. "But also be more forthcoming with the data throughout the year when people are asking, so that somebody may not feel the need to come out on one of these two nights for that." 

The announcement of these meetings comes after a recent string of gun violence in the area.

Willroth added that the timing is interesting, following "this uptick in gun violence lately."