Columbia still exploring possibility of safety ambassadors downtown
Nia Hinson
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Some of Columbia’s top leaders are looking into the possibility of implementing safety ambassadors in the downtown area.
According to records ABC 17 News obtained from the city, the idea was discussed during one of the meetings between city and University of Missouri leaders. The city began having the closed-door meetings after a Stephens College student was shot and killed downtown in September 2025.
Since then, the city has taken steps toward improving safety downtown.
According to downtown Executive Director Nickie Davis, the city began a proposal– called the “Block by Block” proposal in 2023. It is is made up of employees from the downtown district, who typically work cleaning the streets and sidewalks in the downtown area. One of their branches includes safety.
Davis said the district has seen a lot more interest in safety ambassadors since city leaders have increased their push for safety improvements downtown. Davis said the launch of the ambassadors are still in the works and needs to be approved by the Columbia City Council, but she’s hopeful they can be ready to go sometime in April. It does not appear on Monday’s council’s agenda.
Davis said the process can take a long time because it has to go through the university and the city’s legal teams. If approved, six ambassadors would be hired to work Thursday- Saturday from 5 p.m.-3 a.m. and would serve as an extra set eyes for the Columbia Police Department.
“They are unarmed people. We would not have them armed in any way but they would be there to let CPD know, ‘Hey there’s something going on in this corner. We need you guys down here,'” Davis said.
Davis said the ambassadors would have to go through intensive training. She also said they’ll work to ensure all street lights downtown are working properly and that all streets are lit. Davis said the city did a walkthrough with the vice president of “Block by Block” and found that 32 lights were out in the area. Those have all since been fixed, she said.
The ambassadors would also help with permitting for food trucks and carts that are in the downtown area.
“These are what I call nighttime managers of the downtown area. You know, as much as new officers that CPD has gotten which is wonderful, there is still a lot of Columbia that can’t be covered by all of CPD,” Davis said. “These guys will be the touchpoint– the direct go to for CPD should something start going on downtown.”
Davis said they’ll also work as touch points for bars and restaurants downtown, monitoring people who may become too drunk and ensuring they don’t go to another business and potentially start a fight.
“Seeing is believing. When you see people in uniform that are there to keep you safe, make sure that you’re getting into rides safely, then that’s going to be so wonderfully comforting to the people that are out at night,” Davis said.
Davis said the total program would cost roughly $300,000. The cost would be split up between The District, MU and the city. Davis said some of the funding from the CID was budgeted, while others are being taken from reserves.
Davis had previously told ABC 17 News The District was also considering getting businesses “No Trespassing” and “No Concealed Weapons” signs. She said that is currently in the design phase and hopes those will be completed in April and available to buy for any business downtown who may want them.
Records ABC 17 News obtained also show MU and Davis continue to send letters to downtown businesses asking them to sign letters of enforcement. Minutes from an October meeting show MU would work to encourage all 15 large downtown student housing apartment owners to complete the forms by Nov. 15, 2025 if they want to continue to be on the list of preferred housing options for students. December minutes show those letters were sent out.
A city spokesperson told ABC 17 News that the city will be pairing the renewal letters of enforcement with its business license renewal process. The first renewal letters will be sent out in May.
The university did not have additional information on that on Wednesday night.