Columbia’s mayor has issued her first public statement since videos surfaced on social media of a Columbia police officer punching a subject who was on the ground several times in the face.
Sunday morning’s incident happened at about 12:45 near Harpo’s in downtown Columbia. Mayor Barbara Buffaloe tweeted Monday afternoon that the city council “condemns unnecessary use of force by police officers and expects a full and thorough investigation into the conduct of the officers involved in this incident.” Mayor Buffaloe is asking residents for their patience and grace, as they work through the process.
She also says she trusts “city management to take appropriate action once the investigation is complete.”
Columbia Police chief Geoff Jones has requested an independent criminal investigation into the officers’ conduct by the Boone County Sheriff’s Department. That criminal investigation is underway, and CPD is also conducting its own internal affairs investigation.
Chief Jones says he has a high expectation that officers act appropriately when using force, adding that they’re expected to intervene when they observe force that is not to these standards.
