Columbia police discuss red light cameras, seat belts and volunteers

COLUMBIA — Columbia police made three announcements Tuesday night in a press release:

Red light cameras

Red light cameras at the intersection of Stadium and Forum boulevards and the intersection of Stadium Boulevard and Providence Road are currently malfunctioning, according to a release from Public Information Officer Jessie Haden.

The cameras may flash even though no car is running a red light, and cars are traveling legally. None of these drivers will receive a ticket. The company in charge of the city’s red light cameras is working to fix the problem, according to Haden.

Increased enforcement Thursday

Six extra traffic officers will be out from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday. They'll ticket offenses such as speeding, red light violations, stop sign violations and seat belt violations, according to the release.

Volunteers

The police department is now accepting applications for volunteers, Haden said. Columbia residents can visit www.gocolumbiamo.com/Police to apply. The application process goes until April 15, and the volunteer training and orientation session will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 24.

Department policy changes mean that volunteers no longer have to go through the Citizens Academy.