Students injured in fight at a Columbia high school

A fight at a Columbia high school brought out multiple police officers Thursday, which had ABC 17 News look at the reliability to emergency police radios in the area.

Two fights broke out at lunchtime Thursday involving 7 students.

There were no weapons and no one was taken to the hospital.

Several students involved in the fights were taken into custody by police.

After the incident extra police officers stayed at the school until dismissal, and will be back at school on Friday.

It was the one school resource officer who called for back up that had ABC 17 News thinking about how Battle High School is still in need of a communication tower.

That means law enforcement radios inside the building do not work to call for help outside the school.

ABC 17 News checked in with local emergency responders Thursday who said there is radio coverage concern at Battle High School.

This is something the school is required to fix and is working on.

“It is absolutely a safety hazard for both emergency responders and school staff. It is a safety hazard that is being addressed at this time. And now that it is in the fire code it is something that needs to be enforced.” said Gale Bloomenkamp with the Boone County Fire Protection District.

Right now the school district is working with the county to build a new communication tower by Battle High School.

Dan Atwill, Boone County commissioner, told ABC 17 News there are no final plans on this tower but he believes CPS and the county will split the cost of the tower.

The reason for the joint effort is because CPS is obligated to have the tower, while the county can benefit from it through a joint communications standpoint.

Bloomenkamp said the goal is for the tower to be in place before Battle Elementary opens next year.