A recent citizen survey conducted by the city of Columbia revealed some startling insight into the way Columbians feel about their personal safety and the uptick in crime in our city. Only a third of the citizens surveyed said they felt safe in downtown Columbia. When asked about the visibility of police officers on the streets of Columbia, only 27% of citizens said they were satisfied. The most revealing statistic to come from the city’s survey is the revelation that a mere 17.6% of Colombians were satisfied with the city’s efforts to prevent crime.
That’s a pretty sad commentary about a city that once took great pride in its thriving downtown business district. When downtowns across America had given way to Walmart shopping centers and bustling strip malls, our city had somehow managed to beat the odds. If you’ve been around Columbia for some time, you may remember the renaissance of downtown Columbia when the large concrete canopy that once covered shoppers from inclement weather was demolished to make way for bright, colorful storefronts that offered an impressive array of retail options. In the last few years, many of those retailers have been replaced by vape shops, convenience stores and tattoo parlors that cater to a different demographic. Granted, retail trends have dramatically shifted in recent years due to online shopping and that has impacted our options but an increase in criminal activity and a preponderance of chronically unhoused persons (also known as homeless people) has taken the luster from this once attractive dining and shopping destination.
When it comes to crime, perception is reality. I have no doubt that any one of the highly paid flacks from city hall would try to make a case that the rate of crime in Columbia, downtown or otherwise, is no different than it was in the 1980s and 1990s when horse-drawn carriages, street entertainers and food vendors filled the streets during the weekly Thursday night Twilight Festivals. Even if that were the case, you’d have a pretty tough time convincing the 67% of Columbians who no longer feel safe there. When people don’t feel safe, they take their discretionary dining and shopping dollars elsewhere …sometimes to different cities.
Why is the city of Columbia getting a failing grade for crime prevention? The answer is surprisingly simple. Columbia’s mayor, city council and city administration don’t support our local police officers.
Take a look at the numbers.According to recent reportsincomobuz.com, a whopping50 police officers have left theColumbia Police Department inthe last three years since BarbaraBuffaloe was elected mayor ofColumbia. That’s the largestexodus of police officers inmore than a decade. Why blameBuffaloe? Again, the answeris simple. Despite numerousattempts made by the ColumbiaPolice Officers Association,Buffalo and the city managerwho reports to her, have failedto address the issues causing thehigh turnover rate. Currently,the city’s pension fund promisedto past, present and futurepolice officers is underfundedby nearly $60 million. Duringthis same three-year period, cityhall has added 118 new positionsto the city’s payroll. There’s$110,000 that is new for theOffice of Cultural Affairs andthe Office of Sustainability nowhas 10 employees. Misplacedpriorities? Perhaps.
To be fair, there has been a small increase in the number of positions added to the Columbia Police Department. Unfortunately, the majority have been administrative or civilian positions. Despite our city’s growth, no new police officers have been added to patrol our streets and neighborhoods. At current staffing levels, that leaves just 16 officers patrolling 1,500 miles of streets in a city of 131,000 citizens at any given time of day or night. These conditions create fertile ground for criminal activity.
Perhaps our greatest concern should be with the fact that there’s no apparent plan in place to remedy the situation. Even though crime is the number one issue on the minds of Columbia’s citizens, the city’s most recentStrategic Plan Report makes no mention of crime anywhere inits 34 pages. Under the header“Safe Community” the city’s goal statement reads, “Provide equitable community-centered public health and safety services to ensure the city is safe for all.” Instead of focusing on crime, the city’s plan for a safe community involves increasing accreditation for fire fighters, helping chronic offenders access social and mental health services and increasing support for the city’s Homeless Outreach Team. It’s pretty obvious that your concerns about crime have fallen on deaf ears.
You’ve undoubtedly heard the adage that those who fail to plan will plan to fail. Given the extreme attrition rate of our police officers and the growing perception of a community that is no longer safe, the lack of a meaningful and relevant plan may be the biggest crime of all. It’s time for major changes in city leadership. Be sure to vote on Tuesday, April 8.
