COLUMBIA, Md. — A new Howard County Police initiative aims to deter crime in downtown Columbia.
On Monday Police Chief Gregory Der and County Executive Calvin Ball announced the creation of a unit that will focus on patrolling the Merriweather District, the Mall in Columbia, and Columbia Lakefront.
Part of the plan calls for a full-time satellite office inside the mall. This includes a round the clock patrol beat assigned exclusively to the mall.
Over the last year, the Mall in Columbia has been the epicenter of multiple shootings.
In February a double shooting on the mall parking lot left one teen dead and a second wounded.
A teenager on court ordered GPS monitoring for previous violent crimes was charged.
That tragedy followed another July 2024 murder inside the mall food court. Police are still in search of the shooter in that case.
Columbia to receive 24 hour police patrols
Since launching these latest enforcement efforts, Howard County Police claim there's been no reported gun crime in the area.
To help prevent escalating crime, officers have begun cracking down on minor violations such as trespassing, theft, noise complaints, and other quality of life issues.
“Combatting crime and reinforcing the public’s sense of safety are the most critical parts of our mission,” said Der. “When we see an issue emerging, we make strategic decisions about resource allocation and crime-fighting strategies. We are fortunate that our recently increased staffing levels were approved by County Executive Ball and have enabled us to devote resources where they are most needed.”
In both shooting cases, the victims and suspects were teenagers.
To combat similar types of crime in the future, police and the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services have opened lines of communication with each other by by scheduling monthly small group sessions between officers and juveniles throughout the county.
The Mall in Columbia already has a parental guidance policy in place on Fridays and Saturday, requiring a parent or guardian to accompany anyone 17 and younger after 4pm.
