Columbus Police host training to help agencies meet new crime reporting standards
Departments across North Mississippi are working to become NIBRS-certified before the statewide deadline.
COLUMBUS, Miss. — The Columbus Police Department opened its doors Wednesday, not for arrests, but for training.
Officers from across North Mississippi took part in a NIBRS report-writing class, part of the state’s transition to a new crime-reporting system.
The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) was adopted in Mississippi in 2018 and became mandatory nationwide in 2021 under the FBI’s updated data reporting standards.
Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry says the department is in the final phase of certification — and helping other law enforcement agencies reach the same goal. “They have the reports, they have reviewed them, and they sent them back. Now we are in the final phase,” Daughtry said. “We have over 500 agencies in Mississippi, and as of today, only 205 are NIBRS compliant. So we’re doing very good to get to that part.”
Full certification will give departments cleaner data and a clearer picture of crime trends across the state.
