Columbia police respond to over 160 fireworks calls in less than 24 hours
The Columbia Police Department responded to 162 calls for fireworks in less than 24 hours.
According to dispatch records, the calls were from 11 a.m. Wednesday to 3 a.m. Thursday.
At least one of those calls was in the county, where the Columbia fireworks war took place. Sheriff Dwayne Carey with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said deputies called CPD for help, and he was incredibly unhappy with their response.
“The Columbia Police Department would not send their police officers to assist,” he said. “They were just staged outside.”
ABC 17 News asked CPD why units were instructed to stay back but never got a response.
Sheriff Carey also said the calls took a toll on deputies.
“We only have so many deputies,” he said. “[When] we’re tasked with calls for service, we have to go in.”
ABC 17 News also spoke to MU Health about fireworks injuries. A spokesperson said they saw seven fireworks injury cases and 10 heat-related injury/illness cases during the holiday period. Officials with Boone Hospital said they did not treat anyone for fireworks injuries.
