RICHMOND, Va. — Police will launch a new initiative in two weeks aimed at preventing violence in Richmond while also asking for the community’s help as the police chief asks “every citizen to be all in."
Operation Safe Summer, a collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement partners, hopes to suppress violent crime during the summer when crime and violence historically increases.
The five-point plan has state troopers patrolling the city with Richmond officers to target high crime hot spots.
Federal partners, including the FBI, will work with the department on investigations and prosecutions.
Richmond officers will continue holding pop-up events and safety walks to build relationships.
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And in partnership with the mayor's office, Richmond officers will be at George Wythe High School and the Gil Center at Fairfield Elementary School on Fridays and Saturdays.
“RPD will provide security for Late-Night Gym, providing a safe place for our youth to go to in the city at night with positive activities,” officials said.
Finally, the police department plans to distribute safes for proper gun storage.
"Everyone knows we're short staffed. That's not a secret,” said Rick Edwards, who has been Richmond's interim police chief since late October. “But when we work together when work with a plan, I think we can still have a great impact and have a have a safer summer than we would otherwise."
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When asked why violence tends to spike during the summer months, Edwards said there are likely a number of factors.
"It's better weather so more people are out," Edwards said. "Sometimes people feel like the heat can get arguments going and when I look at our murders... almost 40% of them are related to arguments."
Edwards said the reason for shootings has changed since he started policing some 20 years ago.
"Richmond was the murder capital of the country in the mid 90s," he said. "And it was based upon drug beefs, corner disputes, that sort of thing. We're not seeing as much of that. It's interpersonal disputes."
Edwards said the same is true for his colleagues in other cities around the country.
"We're not seeing as much of the drug wars, what we're seeing are people that have easy access to firearms... with low impulse control," Edwards said. "And before they know it, what should be a fist fight turns into a gunfight."
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Edwards called the community the department’s “biggest and best partner."
“The police department has a particular role to play in law enforcement, and the community has a role too; we need every citizen to be all in," Edwards wrote.
Edwards said he hopes the monthly pop-up events will help build relationships between officers and the community.
"We need we need folks in the community to trust us and to be real partners in their own public safety. So events like this where we get to know people in communities that are struggling with crime is just a part of our strategy," Edwards said. "We'll pick a location where they're experiencing crime, and we'll bring the same DJ out. We'll bring the horses and we'll get to know our community one-on-one."
Officials said another way residents and visitors to the city can help curb crime is by simply locking their vehicles and safely storing their guns.
Operation Safe Summer will begin June 10 and continue through Sept. 8.
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