Police review board question Sergeant on training, community policing plan

The Citizen’s Police Review Board heard from and questioned a sergeant with the Columbia Police Department on the topic of officer recruitment.

Sergeant Curtis Perkins said the department currently has five open officer positions, which is down from 11 in December.

In February, the Columbia City Council unanimously agreed to have city staff create a citywide community-oriented policing plan.

Officer staffing is a notable problem for the department according to multiple sources. The director of the Columbia Police Officer’s Association said the department will need over 100 additional officers to properly execute citywide community-policing.

Perkins said the department recruits from a variety of sources, but some work better than others. Online ads on social media tend to draw more interest than in-person career fairs at colleges or universities, according to Perkins.

“We’re not pulling nearly as many people showing interest going to [universities], as the marketing and the advertising stuff on Facebook,” Perkins said.

Board members also voiced concern on the lack of diversity in the department after Perkins showed a slide that said only three African American men have been hired as officers since 2015.

City Manager Mike Matthes was tasked with designing a citywide community policing program. Matthes has three months remaining from the six he was given when the City Council approved the measure in February, however at least one council member said