Columbia police union cites MUPD hiring in push for more officers

The head of Columbia’s police union hopes city leaders will use the University of Missouri as inspiration for public safety.

The university’s Police Department added five new positions at the start of its fiscal year, July 1. That brings MUPD’s force to 50 officers. Major Brian Weimer told ABC 17 News the department is looking to fill eight total vacancies – five from the new funding and three from officers leaving the department in the last month.

ABC 17 News has reported on the several hundred layoffs and hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to the school and University of Missouri System. Despite the cuts, school leaders have identified several departments that would receive “strategic investments,” including MUPD. Former interim MU chancellor Hank Foley said before that the investment in MUPD was a commitment to improving safety on campus.

Dale Roberts, head of the Columbia Police Officers Association, said the Columbia City Council and city manager’s office should make a similar commitment to the city’s police department. The five new positions at MUPD make up a 10 percent increase of the force. A similar increase would

“A 10 percent increase at CPD would be 16 officers, and would go a long way to addressing this public safety crisis we have with the shortage of officers right now,” Roberts told ABC 17 News.

Columbia has struggled for years to keep up with the federal staffing standard of 2.5 officers for every 1,000 people. While city leaders have added money to the department for the last several years, the department continues to face a rising call volume that keeps officers busy and increases response times. City Manager Mike Matthes has blamed the slowing collection of sales tax, a major funding source for CPD, as a roadblock to hiring a significant amount of officers.

Roberts cited the city’s own resident feedback form, which put public safety as its top priority, for city leaders to consider as budget talks begin. Matthes’ proposed budget for fiscal year 2018 has not been released.

“If the university could fund additional officers, certainly the city can find a way to do so,” Roberts said.

CPD is funded almost exclusively from the general fund, an $83 million pool. It competes with departments like the Columbia Fire Department, Parks and Recreation and the Municipal Court for those funds, of which CPD receives the largest share.

Columbia City Council members did not return ABC 17 News’ request for comment on Wednesday about budget priorities heading into those discussions.