RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith is preparing to meet with community members across the city, following controversy surrounding an alleged July 4 mass shooting plot with the goal of rebuilding trust with residents.
Community advocate Paige Quilter plans to attend and speak directly with the chief about her neighbors' concerns. As the president of the Carillon Civic Association, Quilter has remained a steady voice for her community.
“You have to be an advocate for your neighbors," she said. “To keep engaged and keep the neighborhood informed is the secret to having a successful neighborhood.”
The Historic Carillon neighborhood is nestled right beside Dogwood Dell, an outdoor amphitheater that was publicly announced by Chief Smith as the target of a potential mass shooting on July 4 as thousands were gathered there for a firework show.
For weeks, Smith doubled down on his assertion that the Dell was the location, even after prosecutors admitted in court of having no evidence to back his claim, citing his 30 years of experience in law enforcement. But he later told CBS 6 in a mid-August interview that he regretted his original communications surrounding the Dell.
Still, Quilter said many neighbors were panicked by Smith specifying a location. Smith has now issued an apology and said he never meant to "strike fear" or "cause alarm."
"For any confusion or anxiety that my stating Dogwood Dell was the most likely target, I am deeply sorry," Smith said.
Ever since Quilter heard the news during the July 6 press conference, she has spoken out to the CBS 6 Problem Solvers, pleading for a direct explanation from Smith. Her requests are now being met.
Last week, Quilter said she received an email with a flier promoting community conversations with Chief Smith in an effort to "build community" and "bring the city together."
“I was very surprised. I got a notice about upcoming community engagement sessions with the Chief of Police, which I think is fantastic." Quilter said. "Do I think it could’ve come sooner? Yes.”
According to the flier, the first session was originally scheduled for August 25 with 3rd precinct residents, which includes Quilter's neighborhood. However, Quilter said multiple neighbors complained about the short notice of the event.
"There was some confusion last week. They gave us like two days' notice," she said. "And I immediately fired off to the police and to the city council's office that two days is not enough notice. I can probably get four people there."
An RPD spokesperson said new dates are now being confirmed, but the events will start the week of September 12.
Smith said he "stands ready to answer questions," and Quilter has many of them.
“I’d like to know, was this a political ploy? Why was it just the chief and the mayor making these statements? If there was a hint of something that was going to happen, why [did] our local police officers [not] know? I think we need to find out what's going to be better done within the actual police department to communicate where the breakdowns work," she said.
She wanted to emphasize that she strongly supports her local police officers and has never questioned their work to investigate the alleged mass shooting tip.
"They are some of the most dedicated men and women I've ever seen in a police department," Quilter said. “It's not that we don't trust the police. We just don't trust the information coming from the top.”
Quilter said she hopes her advocacy and the public quest for answers may encourage other community leaders to be loud and speak up when something seems off in their neighborhoods. She also said residents should get involved with their neighborhood groups to work together to inspire change.
“If we don't advocate for what's going on in our community, then things are going to get wiped up under the rug," Quilter said. "Use your civic associations as a resource and a tool. It's not just about having potholes fixed, or sidewalk cracks filled in, or trees trimmed. It's about the things that matter."
Here's a linkto civic groups across the city.
