Gas masks, shin guards sought for CPD “civil unrest” response

With a change of how the department handles protests that become violent, Columbia police are asking for new gear.

The Columbia City Council will have to approve the $78,000 purchase for 147 new gas masks and 50 new pairs of shin guards at its October 17 meeting. Money would come from the department’s asset forfeiture fund.

Assistant Chief Jeremiah Hunter said the need for the gear comes after the department went through state-led training earlier this year. The Highway Patrol hosted a Mobile Field Force training in the summer, where Hunter said departments across the state worked to establish baseline procedures and jurisdictional questions in the wake of protests that sometimes saw stores broken into and police hurling tear gas canisters in Ferguson, Mo. Hunter said CPD realized many of its resources in handling civil unrest lied with its SWAT unit, something he felt needed to change.

“So that shifted, that thinking has shifted, and a SWAT team or tactical unit’s not going to be there immediately,” Hunter told ABC 17 News. “The line officers, the patrol cops, they’re the ones that deal with this stuff day in, day out, they’re going to be there within minutes. They need to have the tools, the resources and the education to handle that as soon as possible.”

The purchases will help move away from the “riot-control officer” look that became a point of contention amongst protestors in Ferguson – that officers dressed in “heavy” tactical gear, such as masks, bulletproof vests and driving armored cars only caused greater tension between the protestors and police. Hunter said they also fill a critical void in CPD’s inventory. Only the SWAT team owns gas masks, Hunter said, and the extra protection would go along with an officer’s daily uniform well during unrest as a “soft uniform.”

“We don’t have the gas mask for every officer, the shin guards and protective equipment for everyone,” Hunter said. “So that’s what we need and that’s what we’re asking for.”

Hunter said he’s never been a part of a protest in Columbia that ever resembled scenes from the last two years in places like Ferguson, Baltimore or Charlotte. While some are pointed out in the city’s memo on the purchases, such as the 1990 “Bid Day Bash,” the Neo-Nazi march in 2007 and a visit from the Westboro Baptist Church in 2012, Hunter said none have risen to the level of rioting. The point is to be prepared, Hunter said, and to ensure everyone involved can stay safe.

“You know, what can we do to make this safe for them, and let them exercise their right safely,” Hunter said of CPD’s role in policing a protest. “And at the same time, not impede on the rights of other people. It’s a delicate balance.”

THe department often uses asset forfeiture funds for “one-time purchases,” or items that don’t need require yearly payments.