Columbia Violence Prevention Office Seeks Community Help to Address Claudell Lane Crime

Fifty-Six 911 Calls Spark City Intervention

The Columbia Office of Violence Prevention is stepping up its focus on Claudell Lane following a string of violent incidents, seeking direct community engagement to address public safety concerns along the short residential street, KOMU reported.

Dispatch records from the Columbia Police Department show the area has logged at least 56 calls for 911 checks since the beginning of the year. That frequency averages out to more than one call every week since Jan. 1.

A Seven-Day Escalation of Armed Crime

Police activity in the neighborhood escalated notably over a recent period. According to previous reporting from KOMU, law enforcement responded to two shots-fired incidents, one involving a group altercation, a standoff involving a barricaded suspect, and an armed robbery. At least eight people have been arrested in connection with the incidents.

Columbia violence prevention office responds to gun violence on Claudell Lane

Claudell Lane sits just off West Worley Street near Stadium Boulevard and the Columbia Mall, encompassing both the Columbia Square and Claudell Homes apartment complex.

City Officials and Residents on History

D’Markus Thomas-Brown, administrator of the Office of Violence Prevention, pointed to that high volume of 911 calls as a source of concern for the office. Thomas-Brown noted that his office is watching the corridor closely and aims to provide resources to residents living there.

Morgan Baskett, a resident of the Claudell Lane area, told KOMU that the violence is not anything new.

“It’s been like this for years,” Baskett said. “Do I feel safe? Yeah. But you know, I know, I’m sure a lot of people around here don’t feel safe.”

Thomas-Brown Encourages Neighbors to Drive Community Accountability

Thomas-Brown is encouraging neighbors to work together to bring accountability to the community. As the year comes to a close, he wants residents to speak openly about how they feel in their neighborhoods, whether they feel safe or unsafe.

“Hopefully there’s community outreach that drives to solve why are we having these wellness checks, right, why are 911 calls coming in,” Thomas-Brown told KOMU. “That we actually are able to get a pulse on what’s happening.”

The Office of Violence Prevention is considering a new position. Thomas-Brown said this new position would help approach crisis management and would look at how the city functions after a crisis occurs.