RICHMOND, Va. -- In a city of more than 200,000 people, there is no shortage of opinions on the resignation of Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith, who announced he was stepping down Tuesday after months of scrutiny over high-profile incidents and reports of low officer morale.
Acting Major Richard Ewards has been sworn in as interim police chief, marking the fifth officer to hold the post in as many years.
At a GRTC bus stop in Jackson Ward, most of the Richmonders CBS 6 spoke with were well aware of Smith’s resignation. Lifelong resident Gary Taylor said he felt Smith’s tenure was cut too short.
“I just felt sorry for him. When they came to him in the interview, he said ‘nothing happened, nothing happened in there.’ I was like yeah, he’s heartbroken,” Taylor said.
On the other hand, Taylor said Richmond needs to find a way to get a handle on continuing community violence.
“Need to get some more officers,” he said. “I’m scared. I’m scared catching the bus in the morning. Too much danger. Every day, somebody getting killed.”
In Carytown, Jui Paithane had not heard of the news about the chief’s resignation but had been following the alleged mass shooting plot at Dogwood Dell. Smith said RPD had thwarted a mass shooting plan on the Fourth of July, but prosecutors are yet to present evidence of one.
“Mass shootings are such a big problem, it just takes away from the seriousness of it, and there are things the police could be actually working toward helping,” Paithane said.
Several of her friends were pepper sprayed by RPD officers during social justice protests and the civil unrest following the murder of Georg Floyd in 2020. Paithane said she hopes whoever assumes the role on a permanent basis remembers the issues raised by thousands of protestors then.
“There is one way to look at it: there's crime here, so we need like police to protect and serve. Or there's ways to look at it like, we need more social services to negate the need for these crimes because a lot of crimes are just crimes of need,” she said.
For 42 years, Will Hall has called Richmond home. He was not surprised about Smith’s resignation given the rash of violence involving youth lately. At the same time, he believes the city’s top cop is not the main solution.
“He’s going to be the scapegoat,” Hall said. “You can get the police chief, the NAACP, you can talk in church all you want, but if it doesn't start in a house, it's not going change."
As for the next person to assume leadership of RPD, Hall said the city should look for someone committed to constant and direct community engagement.
“You need to be involved in the community and talk to these people found out: what do you need? Why are you so frustrated? Why are you so upset? That's the only person I see and do that was Rodney Monroe,” Hall said.
Richmond officials said they will conduct a nationwide search for the next police chief.
