UM President Choi invites Columbia city leaders to weekend downtown walkthrough
Marie Moyer
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
University of Missouri System President Mun Choi is inviting City of Columbia officials to take to the streets with him Saturday evening for a walkthrough of downtown Columbia, according to an email obtained by ABC 17 News.
“You’ll be able to witness for yourself what business owners, your constituents, students and parents have been complaining about for many years,” Choi said in the email sent Tuesday evening.
In the email, Choi cited issues such as gun violence and harassment by homeless people, noting that University of Missouri students are often involved as victims in those incidents. Choi said an MU student was injured when running away during Saturday’s shooting that killed a Stephens College student and injured at least two other bystanders.
A 23-year-old Florida man was arrested and has been charged with murder. The shooting has prompted calls to increase downtown security, with some of the most vocal demands coming from Choi.
“We can’t deflect responsibility or use delay tactics by focusing on underlying causes,” Choi said in the email. “I do believe that underlying causes must be solved but first and foremost we must address the crime crisis that we have at hand.”
ABC 17 News reached out to several of the email’s over 30 recipients. Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson was the only person contacted who said he would attend Saturday’s event, adding that he is grateful for Choi to take the lead on the issue.
Both violent crime and addressing crime related to serious mental health issues have been a priority and challenge for our office,” Johnson said. “I value the Sheriff’s commitment to additional downtown patrols; collaboration between CPD, MUPD, and the Sheriff’s Office is critical.”
Johnson adds that his office will prioritize cases from downtown patrols to reinforce deterrence.
Local business owner and founder of Flat Branch Home Loans Jim Yankee was sent the email but will not be attending. However, Yankee is supporting of Choi’s initiative. Yankee adds that he has previously went downtown on his own in the evenings to observe Columbia’s nighttime scene.
“It’s a very different crowd of people, the crowds that I see that seem to be causing a lot of problems, they aren’t college kids, they aren’t the Harpo’s Bar crowd getting out,” Yankee said. “It’s a crowd of people that I think are down there for bad purposes.”
Yankee adds that his business has been affected in the evenings due to issues like vandalism.
“It very much affects businesses and affects everyone’s perception of downtown, it is very important, and people now are more worried about going downtown,” Yankee said.
Ward 5 Council Member Don Waterman does not plan to attend. He adds that the council is waiting to see how Choi’s collaborative task force will shake out, not wanting to rush legislation.
“While we need to do something, I want to make sure that we’re not rushing,” Waterman said. “If you look back, whether it’s in the city, the state, federal level, rushed legislation frequently tends to be not good legislation.”
Ward 4 Council Member Nick Foster is also not expecting to attend and called the walk unnecessary.
“I am fully confident in the Columbia Police Department, Chief Schlude, and City Manager Seewood to keep the Council informed regarding these issues, just as they have done previously and continue to do currently,” Foster said in a statement.
Ward 3 Council Member Jacque Sample did not say if she plans to attend however, she did say in a statement that community violence is a complex issue and can’t be solved just through law enforcement departments.
“It also requires us to look closely at the root causes of violence—poverty, lack of opportunity, untreated trauma—and invest in prevention just as much as response,” Sample said. “While I welcome genuine partnership from the University of Missouri, we must avoid rhetoric or approaches that divide or dismiss the complexity of this challenge.”
According to City of Columbia Public Communications Manager Sydney Olsen, Mayor Barbara Buffaloe and the City Council are working with staff for another planned safety walk.
The city of Columbia Police Department, in a Facebook post on Wednesday, addressed questions about downtown safety.
According to the post, on Friday and Saturday nights, around half of CPD’s officers are moved downtown, with additional officers added on game-day weekends. CPD reported that 11 officers were downtown last weekend.
Officers downtown also focus on proactive law enforcement. The CPD started this initiative in June after a shooting, with officers handling misdemeanor crimes like jaywalking, disturbing the peace and open container violations.
The post also shared that CPD is collaborating with other city departments, including Public Works, to create ride-share drop-off locations and the Columbia/Boone County Health Department to help with crowd control during late-night food vending.
CPD also reports that there are not enough resources for a full-time downtown unit. But the department has staffed a patrol sergeant to temporarily focus on downtown operations and patrol unit management.
“We recognize that creating a safe environment requires more than enforcement, which is why we are working with other City departments and law enforcement partners to address the full range of issues affecting our community,” CPD Chief Jill Schlude said in the post.
The walk-through is expected to start at 11 p.m. Saturday and end at 3 a.m. Sunday.