QUESTION OF THE DAY: Is increased enforcement responsible for higher downtown Columbia crime numbers?

Columbia Police Department leadership addressed the public about a report that showed increased crime numbers downtown on Monday night.

That explanation came Monday after Race Matters, Friends raised concerns about how the Columbia Police Department’s downtown crime data was being presented during a Columbia City Council pre-council meeting.

CPD presented a report comparing crime from Sept. 16, 2025-Sept. 15, 2026, with the same period the previous year. The report showed 769 reported incidents downtown, up from 520, a 47.8% increase.

Do you think more enforcement is responsible for the increase, or is crime actually on the rise downtown? Let us know by voting in the poll.