WARNING: This story contains graphic video some viewers may find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond Police have officially launched a new initiative under Interim Chief Rick Edwards, kickstarting a procedure to release videos containing evidence from shootings involving police officers resulting in the fatal use of force.
In a statement released April 10, officials with the Richmond Police Department (RPD) said videos, called "Critical Incident Briefings (CIB)," are being released via its social media and website to "increase transparency and build trust."
The department released a CIB on Wednesday that included body-worn camera footage, photos, 911 calls, and security footage from when officers shot a murder suspect on March 31, 2023 in the 4200 block of North Avenue.
The CIB walks viewers through police's response from their perspective.
It starts with 911 calls around 10:15 a.m., where a caller tells a dispatcher that the suspect in the incident, 63-year-old James Talbert III, told him he killed his wife.
It then goes on to share how and where police responded, giving time codes.
The CIB shows security video from a store near where officers apprehended the suspect around 11 a.m. that day.
Per the video, Talbert pulls out his weapon after he exits his vehicle, aiming at police.
Police say he fired at officers first.
It then shows different body camera views with multiple officers responding, also sharing how many times each officer fired a weapon during the incident.
Only one body camera video includes audio. According toRPD's Facebook post including the video, portions of the footage do not include audio due to a standard technological delay.
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According to police, CIBs involving RPD can be released to the public within two weeks of the incident, unless the Chief decides a delay is needed to address any "investigative, prosecutorial, or privacy concerns."
"There's probably not going to be a lot of changes by the agency for investigations that are currently underway. Those body-worn camera data will stay contained. But it does give the Chief license to send out footage quickly if he wants to and if it shows the department doing the right thing," said Dr. William Pelfrey, a professor at VCU's Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs who has expertise in crime and policing.
While the effort is to increase transparency, Pelfrey said there will still be much the public will never know.
"The more transparent a police organization is, the more community trust they're likely to have. But, no police department is going to be fully transparent. They're going to keep a lot of officer related issues, particularly internal investigations, any question about the officer's behavior, behind closed doors," he said.
"It usually works out well for those agencies in the long run in building community trust, but it makes it a much more difficult place to be a Chief or Senior Administrator, because your officers are always under scrutiny and some things come out that you wish hadn't come out."
RPD said in its Facebook post: "We have taken great care to ensure the deceased's family members, officers involved in the incident, and the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney has had the opportunity to view this summary. It should be noted officers on the scene provided first aid measures until an ambulance responded. Mr. Talbert later succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital."
Interim Chief Edwards is applying for the open permanent position as police chief. Dr. Pelfrey said even if another chief takes his place, this policy will likely not change, because the initiative allows the chief to have discretion over what is shared.
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