Buffaloe looks to student involvement in response to downtown violence

Mayor Barbara Buffaloe proposed the creation of a collegiate advisory council Friday, joining student voices from each institution in Columbia to discuss initiatives regarding violence downtown.

Buffaloe said in the Facebook post that she envisions the focus of the collegiate advisory council to be safety, transportation, housing and workforce opportunities.

During an Oct. 6 city council meeting, Buffaloe said while she initially did not want to form a new task force despite UM System President Mun Choi's call for one, her perspective has since changed.

Buffaloe said attending Leadership Columbia, a convention allowing community leaders to exchange practices in order to address specific issues or concerns in Columbia, inspired her to create the council.

City of Columbia spokesperson Sydney Olsen said Buffaloe also had the opportunity to speak with the mayor of Columbia, South Carolina Daniel J. Rickenmann, who has a similar student-involved initiative in progress.

Rickermann, the city's mayor since 2022, has been in the process of creating the city’s own collegiate council. The council will include input from local universities, like the University of South Carolina.

“The intent is to engage students in civic dialogue and policy development and to advise Mayor Buffaloe on issues impacting students and young residents, fostering a more inclusive, safe and forward-thinking Columbia," Olsen said.

Olsen added the council will be ultimately composed of enrolled undergraduate or graduate students at any higher education institution in Columbia.

Buffaloe said in the Facebook post that she aims to have student members of the council from across the University of Missouri, Columbia College, Stephens College and Moberly Area Community College - Columbia.

"President Choi's focus will be on implementing the 11 action items with city, county, state, federal and business leaders to improve public safety and the homeless crime problems," Mizzou spokesperson Travis Zimpfer said.

The 11 action items were outlined in an email to faculty, staff and students as follows:

• "Increase staffing at the Columbia Police Department and MUPD.
• "CPD and MUPD will continue the increase in foot patrol in the downtown region during peak weekend hours.
• "Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude has confirmed that the Missouri Department of Highway Patrol will provide officers to patrol downtown during peak hours of the weekend.
• "Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey also will provide additional deputies to patrol downtown Columbia.
• "Meeting with U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri Matt Price to discuss federal prosecutive resources and other programs to improve public safety.
• "Meeting with Governor Mike Kehoe to discuss state prosecutive resources and other programs to improve public safety.
• "Support the Ride Home program that returns people who come to the city for health care to their home community outside of Boone County.
• "Request that every downtown business owner complete a letter of enforcement.
• "Conduct a review of city ordinances to improve crowd control and safety – especially downtown. Immediate actions will be taken when appropriate.
• "Conduct a review of downtown to address environmental issues, including lighting, business hours of operation, individuals sleeping on or blocking sidewalks and traffic flow for vehicles. Immediate actions will be taken when appropriate.
• "Conduct an internal audit of all cases handled by the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office involving weapons offenses downtown as well as trespass, peace disturbance, and misdemeanor assault cases county-wide to ensure these offenses are being prosecuted consistently, effectively and in alignment with office goals and community safety priorities. Immediate actions will be taken when appropriate."

The Missouri Students Association said it will assist in convening the council, according to a news release. The association added it will continue to increase awareness of its safe transportation program STRIPES, host self-defense classes at MizzouRec and a series of presentations in collaboration with MU Police Department about safety practices.

“As of right now, Buffaloe is still finalizing details for the task force and has been in communication with the mayor of Columbia, South Carolina to discuss their similar initiative," Olsen said.