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Military patrols start Friday night in downtown Columbus
April 22, 2011 | 1225 Views
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Security will be a little tighter in Uptown Columbus tonight, as Military Courtesy Patrol begins.
Video: http://www2.wrbl.com/news/2011/apr/22/m ... -vi-77774/
Military patrols start Friday night in downtown Columbus
By Sarah Panko
Published: April 22, 2011
2 Comments
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Starting at 10 o'clock Friday, two senior non-commissioned officers from Fort Benning will be on courtesy patrol. The soldiers will be wearing arm bands that read, "Courtesy Patrol."
Fort Benning Commanding General Robert Brown and Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson made the announcement earlier this week.
They need to increase security in Uptown Columbus comes after two weekend incidents in early April.
In the first incident, police say five soldiers beat another man. The beating was witnessed near First Ave. and 10th street- sending the victim - a former solider - to the hospital with head injuries.
The other, a shooting that left four injured - one fatally - at Mario’s restaurant on Broadway. A man is charged in connection with the assault.
Now, Columbus police will have the company of two uniformed Fort Benning soldiers on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Mayor Tomlinson says the soldiers will not be able to make any arrests, but will be able to command order of all military personnel and if need be, alert military police.
“You can’t arrest someone for being intoxicated, but a senior officer can order you back to base or have military police come get you and bring you back to base,â€