Columbus hosts the 40th anniversary of the Fire and Police Games

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — To mark the 40th anniversary of the Georgia Police and Fire Games, the City of Columbus is hosting a friendly competition between first responders and police officers from across Georgia.

On Monday, teams competed for the best time on a whitewater course on the Chattahoochee River. Police and firefighters also competed in a basketball game. WRBL spoke to Corporal Andrew Phillips of the Columbus Police Department about the games.

“Last year we had about 800 participants. This year we’re well over 1,000, I think about 1,065 participants,” Phillips said. “But it really allows us to come together in a friendly environment when we see each other every day during the worst of times.”

Some notable competitions include the toughest cop and the toughest firefighter. The fire department and police department encourage the public to attend the games during the week.

Merri Sherman, executive director of the Columbus Sports Council, said, “The week-long festivities bring approximately $300,000 into our local economy through visitor spending.”

Click here to know more about the firefighter and police games.