CPD, Boone County join forces for holiday law enforcement
The Boone County Sheriff’s Department commissioned the Columbia Police Department to expand its jurisdiction for the Fourth of July holiday.
CPD officers will be able to respond to calls outside the Columbia city limits for the holiday if necessary.
“We are working together to ensure we are keeping people safe,” said CPD interim Chief Geoff Jones. “It is not specific to fireworks wars, but that is a consideration that we have planned for.”
This comes after more than 100 people participated in the fireworks war on Demaret Drive in July 2018, which lasted about 30 minutes.
After last year’s event, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said it will be the last fireworks war.
“We have 364 days to address this problem, and if I have to take all 150 members of this department, we’ll arrest everyone that’s involved next year,” Sheriff Dwayne Carey said in a 2018 interview with ABC 17.
Sheriff’s deputies and police officers will be riding together in several vehicles around Boone County.
Dale Roberts, spokesman for the Columbia Police Officer’s Association, said the merger allowed the departments to communicate more clearly.
“That just, you know, increases the efficiency of having somebody from both jurisdictions and both departments being able to actively communicate on an issue to address any problem that comes up,” Roberts said.
He said if it does not discourage people from using fireworks illegally, it should help law enforcement prevent any issues from growing.
“I think it will certainly help law enforcement’s efforts to contain the problems that have gone on in the past,” he said.
Boone County resident Owen Ramsingh was barbecuing with Terry Brown on Thursday. They said they do not think the joint effort will stop any illegal activity.
“I basically feel like, you know, in Columbia, I mean, there’s no stopping the fireworks. You know, they’re going to do it regardless. You know, just, the war’s going to happen and, I mean, it’s going to happen every year. It’s just continuing,” Ramsingh said.
“Yeah, I mean, as long as they’re safe about it and, you know, don’t’ kill each other, you know, they’ll be alright,” Brown said.
