RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond city leaders and police outlined new safety measures for Shockoe Bottom on Thursday afternoon, including increased police patrols, new surveillance cameras, and a safety ambassador program, following February's mass shooting that left two dead and seven injured.
Police Chief Rick Edwards, City Council President Cynthia Newbile, and Office of Gun Violence Prevention Director Greg Hopkins met with about 20 Shockoe Bottom business owners to discuss executing the safety plans. Earlier this month, police arrested three people they believe are the primary shooters in the mass shooting case.
Edwards touted preventive measures for business owners, announcing that First Precinct officers will provide increased security patrols from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. through September. He said these officers are the best fit because they know Shockoe Bottom and its business owners better than other officers in the city.
"We’re going to try it this year and see if it works, and that is to have first precinct officers provide security for Shockoe," Edwards said.
The city is also providing a space in the Seaboard Building for officers to operate.
"So at the Seaboard Building right here, we will stage some of our officers there, we will stage some of our equipment there, we’ll have a break room for them, the ability to take police reports, the ability to process arrests, even, if they are juvenile arrests, where we can meet parents there," Edwards said.
In June, the city will install six new cameras managed by the Capital City Intelligence Center to cover blind spots in the area. The cameras will be free for a year as part of a trial before the city must start paying for the enhanced surveillance.
"One of the ways we were able to successfully figure out and solve the case in the Shockoe mass shooting was the fact of where it occurred, we have technology there," Edwards said.
Hopkins provided an update on the city's long-discussed safety ambassador program, noting that training and onboarding will take place from April to June.
"Our goal is to have six individuals or a cadre of groups that can work in different hotspots within the different communities in Richmond. Shockoe Bottom is one of them. These individuals will work closely with businesses, as well as walking around at night, making sure folks are in a safe zone and that they feel comfortable where they are," Hopkins said. "Our goal is not to intervene in a fight, but to make sure we are there before a fight happens by engaging our community members."
The next 7th District meeting will be April 29 at Main Street Station.
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