Columbia Police Department releases results of saturation patrol

The Columbia Police Department, along with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department and four other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Marshal’s, conducted a “saturation patrol” to catch criminals in Columbia.

The saturation patrol placed many officers in one area of high crime and arrested 35 people, almost half of whom were wanted felons.

The arrests ranged from drugs to assaults to federal warrants.

Detective Tom O’Sullivan said these people would still be on the streets without the saturation efforts. He said authorities used license plate readers, traffic stops and surveillance to catch the criminals.

He and former federal agent, Dr. Michael Lyman, agree that the saturation patrols are very effective to get criminals into custody and put a police presence into the community.

The patrols are planned as needed, or when crime rates rise in a certain geographic area.