Interim police chief discusses policing with women voters

Columbia interim Police Chief Geoff Jones spoke with the League of Women Voters Columbia-Boone County for the first time Tuesday on a wide range of topics including community policing and traffic stops.

One member even asked Jones to explain everything he carries on his belt.

Jones said he feels like the department should speak with groups like this one often.

“Really any group that has questions, I feel like it’s our job as the police to educate people on what we do, what changes we’re making, why we’re making them, and allow people to have input and ask questions,” he said. “As a police department we want to be members of the community, and we can’t do that without having conversations.”

Jones told group members that community policing is simply policing. He said he was given the task to make community policing a city wide effort.

Jones said it is important for officers from the Columbia Police Department to build relationships with the community, both for everyday policing and to attract a more diverse police force.

Jones said a committee appointed to examine race and traffic stops is a diverse mix of people. He said the numbers from stops in Columbia are telling the department something, but now it is the department’s job to figure out exactly what that is.

Jones said he encourage community members to attend more meetings like this.

“I encourage people to come out and talk to police officers in whatever form that is, whether that’s the officer driving on their street when they’re out getting their mail, or coming to some group event,” he said.