Columbia Police officials say they’re not making changes to their downtown patrols ahead of the True/False Film Festival, which begins Thursday, despite concerns which led to more police patrols in the area in the last six months of 2025.
Neither Columbia Police nor True/False officials would answer questions about whether they’d received calls from festival-goers about perceptions of violence tied to a triple shooting in September. A February KBIA analysis refuted claims of a violent crime spike, showing there were just two more crimes against persons in the city in 2025 than the year before. Still, the most recent citizen survey shows concern about violent crime downtown.
True/False lawyer Josh Oxenhandler would not say if potential guests have been calling with safety inquiries, saying only that organizers were working with local law enforcement agencies.
“We coordinate intensely with MUPD and CPD for every event that we hold,” said Oxenhandler, “They’re apprised of everything that's going on within the fest, within the footprint of what we do and make sure that we're providing maximum precautions.”
Columbia Police did not agree to a taped interview, but in an e-mail Patrol Lieutenant Scott Alpers said there will be no increase in police presence at the event compared to previous years
About 31,000 people attended last year’s festival. This year’s will include about 70 films shown at more than half-a-dozen locations around downtown Columbia.
