(LISTEN): Columbia Police chief Jill Schlude appears on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”

Columbia had another bloody week last week, with two brutal homicides and another suspect charged with threatening to cut the heads off of children at the Islamic Center. Police chief Jill Schlude joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Recent crime was a major topic, including Monday night’s killing of a 22-year-old man in Douglass park. Graphic court documents indicate Kejuan Allen’s throat was cut and that he was stabbed 20 times. The suspect also allegedly used a taser/stun gun on Allen. Mr. Parry asked about that murder and the other recent violence we’ve seen in Columbia. Chief Schlude is focused on trying to get CPD fully staffed. She tells listeners that they have 37 officer vacancies. Chief Schlude says she had two job offers on her calendar for this week and that another 11 officers are currently in the Academy. The chief didn’t mince words about the staffing levels she has, noting CPD currently has a two-person traffic unit and that the street crimes unit is currently staffed at 50 percent. In addition to violence, Chief Schlude also warned about increasing auto thefts across the city. She says auto thefts are pervasive across the city, noting a lot of Columbia residents leave their keys in their cars and they also leave the car running at gas stations. Jill Schlude will celebrate her 18th anniversary at CPD in October. She grew up in northwest Missouri’s St. Joseph, where her parents still live. She began college as a journalism student at Mizzou, and her first law enforcement job was a civilian job with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department. She is a proud graduate of Columbia College: