Vehicle traffic stops report to be discussed by Columbia’s city council

Columbia’s police chief will address the city council tonight (Monday) about the recent statewide traffic stops report issued by Missouri’s attorney general. It says African-American motorists are three times as likely as white motorists to be stopped.

Chief Geoff Jones has written a 60-page report to the council. Chief Jones tells 939 the Eagle that he’ll speak to the council tonight. He says there has been and will continue to be an effort to address bias in policing and in traffic stops.

Chief Jones says every CPD officer receives training in customer service, community policing and in racial profiling. His memo also says CPD conducts a three-hour training during in-service sessions and for new hires during the onboarding process. He says all of CPD’s trainings emphasize community-based policing and bias-free decision-making.

Chief Jones also says the department has added a sworn position within its Internal Affairs Unit to address cultural competence internally and in the community. Officer Tony Parker is CPD’s diversity, equity and inclusion officer.