93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Columbia Police Officers Association (CPOA) president Matt Nichols says his officers don’t feel appreciated and don’t feel valued. Columbia’s city council voted this week to approve a resolution allocating $25-million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. The CPOA is not happy because the council has not allocated any ARPA dollars as premium/hazard pay for law enforcement officers and other essential workers who were unable to work from home during the COVID pandemic. The CPOA says these city employees risked their safety and health for everyone in Columbia, adding that the hazard incentive would have demonstrated that the community recognizes their ongoing sacrifice. CPOA president Nichols also blasted the defund the police movement, telling listeners that “there’s a lot of money in hating the police”:
Columbia city hall is located downtown (2022 file photo from city spokeswoman Sydney Olsen)
