Welcome to the Town of Columbus North Carolina

Butch Kennedy, Columbus Police Chief

... creating a safe environment conducive to law enforcement excellence

Mission Statement

Our Mission

• Protect the public through proactive law enforcement and promote a safe and secure environment.

• Address issues that impede or disrupt the orderly operation of the day-to-day lives of our citizens.

• Protect the tranquility of life, residential, business, and town property by initiating police action — enforcing laws and regulations and arresting offenders — and educating the public in crime-prevention techniques.

• Mitigate liability and hazards to the town when appropriate.

Our Values

• Service to the Columbus Community
  We value the opportunity to provide service in a manner, which is fair, courteous, responsive and efficient. An attitude of respect for the protection of the worth, dignity, and the rights of all we serve is the foundation of our department.

• Integrity
  We value candor, honesty and ethical behavior in the members of our department. We are committed to upholding our positions of trust by maintaining the highest ethical standards as set forth in the law enforcement code of ethics.

• Responsibility & Accountability
  We value the need to use our resources effectively and to be open in our communication with the community. We are responsible for our actions and understand that our behavior earns the support and trust of the public.

• Professionalism
  We value the spirit of professionalism, and have a clear sense of commitment, perspective and direction. We build professionalism by creating an empowering environment, one that encourages teamwork, innovation and self-evaluation.

• Excellence
  We strive for personal and professional excellence. We are committed to improving our community, earning their trust, respect and support through active partnership, involvement and service. 

Department Overview

The Columbus Police Department Strives to...

Create and maintain an environment for safety that promotes respect for and appreciation of freedom, human diversity and cultural pluralism, characteristic of the Columbus community. We pride ourselves in our level of excellence in law enforcement and providing accessible assistance to both local and state agencies, in addition to out-of-state agencies when requested.

Columbus Police Department Strives to...

Create a safe environment conducive to law enforcement excellence. Even though the Columbus Police Department works closely with neighboring police agencies, employing security measures to reduce and prevent crime, we strongly believe security is everyone’s responsibility, and we ask for your assistance.

Columbus Police Department: Your Community Policing Agency

Safety and security is coordinated by the Chief of Police, with a force of 5 sworn police officers and 5 sworn reserve officers. The Police Department provides 24-hour service within the town limits. The Department maintains mutual aid agreements with all surrounding law enforcement agencies.

Our police officers are graduates of the North Carolina Justice Training Academy with full arrest powers throughout the town limits and extraterritorial one mile jurisdiction. They undergo continued training to upgrade their skills.

Many of the department’s police officers have two- and four-year college degrees. Others are pursuing their college degrees to enhance their level of service to the citizens of Columbus.

Our police officers have often distinguished themselves and received public recognition for the performance of their duties.

They conduct foot and vehicular patrols in the community 24 hours a day. Officers are responsible for reporting and investigating crimes and traffic accidents, enforcing state laws and local ordinances, and all other incidents requiring police assistance.

Through our investigations, criminal cases are forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution. We enjoy a positive working relationship with all neighboring police agencies. Columbus Police officers also work very closely with State and Federal agencies, assisting them with investigations of incidents occurring outside the town limits.

Citizen/Community Concerns

We view our association with the Columbus community as one built on a foundation of trust, accountability, respect and teamwork.

Your commendations, criticisms, and constructive suggestions for improvement are welcome. We will investigate any allegation of inappropriate police action, and corrective action will be taken as needed. 

You can speak to the Columbus Police Chief or supervisor 24 hours a day by calling 828-894-5464, or visit our office, located next to the the Columbus Town Hall at 117 Walker Street.