The Columbia Police Department currently has 17 vacancies, a number that changes each month.
Police chief Jill Schlude was live on 939 the Eagle’s “Sunday Morning with Ken and Brian” and tells listeners that the city can’t keep up with pay:
“When you’re the fourth-largest city (in Missouri) and you’re at the ninth or tenth lowest starting pay … hard to recruit,” Chief Schlude says.
Chief Schlude thanks voters for approving Proposition One in August. That’s a one percent sales/use tax that will be dedicated to public safety. Chief Schlude says this will have a major long-term positive impact on the community and for Columbia police and fire.
Meantime, Boone County Joint Communications and first responders in Columbia/Boone County are expected to begin encrypting scanner traffic starting in January 2028. The process is underway. Chief Schlude tells listeners that most medium and large-size cities encrypt radio traffic:
“It’s troubling to me when I see people livestreaming what the (Columbia) SWAT team is doing. That’s just not … and I can’t control that but there’s a safety issue there,” she says.
You can listen to Chief Schlude’s interview with hosts Ken Rice and Peter Thiele here.