Richmond Public Safety Standing Committee Meeting – May 28, 2026

The Richmond Public Safety Standing Committee met on May 28, 2026, to address a range of public safety issues including conditions at the Richmond City Justice Center, a proposed ordinance regarding 911 emergency medical dispatch, and presentations from the Fire and Police Chiefs on response times, traffic enforcement, and violent crime reductions.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes from the March 24, 2026 Public Safety Standing Committee meeting were approved as presented without amendments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Monique (speaking on behalf of inmates at the Richmond City Justice Center) described systemic failures in providing medically compliant meals, documenting that between March and May 2026 a cardiac-diagnosed inmate received non-compliant meals for months, medical staff refused weight checks, required security checks were missed for over two hours, and the inmate was denied water for seven hours in solitary confinement, leading to hospitalization at VCU Medical Center for dehydration and risk of kidney failure. She called for an independent audit, strict adherence to documented diets, a ban on retaliation, mandatory hydration and medication monitoring, and monthly oversight reporting to council.
• Sheriff Dr. Antoinette Urban responded that she cannot discuss individual cases due to HIPAA, noted the jail recently passed its Board of Local and Regional Jails audit, and explained that medical care is provided by contracted vendor Mediko (45 staff) with oversight from her risk manager and accreditation team. She offered to speak privately with Monique. Committee members expressed serious concern and requested a follow-up presentation from the Sheriff at a future meeting.

Discussion Items

• Board Vacancy Packet: Deputy City Clerk Kylie Kessaker presented a reappointment application for Aben Thomas to serve a three-year term on the Advisory Board for the Assessment of Towing Fees and Storage of Vehicles. The committee voted unanimously to forward the recommendation to the full council.
• Ordinance 2026‑059 – 911 Emergency Medical Dispatch: This ordinance would require the Department of Emergency Communications Preparedness and Response (DECPR) to route emergency medical 911 calls to the Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA).
  • Stephen Willoughby, Director of DECPR, opposed the change, arguing it would double costs, create inefficiency, and that the current single‑call‑center model is data‑driven and consistent with best practices. He stated that DECPR is nationally accredited and that average time to determine the initial response has dropped 34% since the switch in July 2024.
  • Chip Decker, CEO of RAA, supported the ordinance, stating that RAA is accredited in medical call‑taking by the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) and that the state statute on emergency medical dispatch is silent on operational responsibility. He argued moving back to RAA would add capacity and expertise without additional taxpayer costs, and that RAA’s accuracy rates are higher.
  • Committee members expressed frustration with incomplete data, particularly regarding comparative accuracy rates. Chair Trammel noted the state’s correspondence clarified that the state is agnostic on how localities choose to operate, contradicting the earlier administration argument that the switch was mandated. The committee voted unanimously to forward the ordinance to the full council with a recommendation to approve.
• Presentation – Richmond Fire Department Response Times and Updates: Chief Jeffrey Siegel reported on strategies for a growing city, including adding four new units and two new fire stations, restoring the burn building at the training academy, and implementing dynamic staffing and community risk reduction. Key statistics: firefighters had visited approximately 17,000 homes (up from 14,500 in the presentation), installed over 450 smoke alarms, and achieved a 54% overtime reduction since March 2026 through proactive hiring and improved morale. A climate survey showed negative morale dropped from 27% to 8%. Chief Siegel also highlighted the rescue task force partnership with police for active shooter response.
• Presentation – Traffic Enforcement and Safety: Chief of Police Rick Edwards provided crime updates: homicides down 57% year‑to‑date, non‑fatal shootings down 33%, robberies down 65% (largely from vape shop closures), and overall violent crime down 4%. For traffic enforcement, red light cameras had issued 10,543 citations and 6,535 warnings; speed cameras are active at multiple locations. The department is fully transitioning to digital ticketing. Chief Edwards also discussed the active shooter rescue task force training with the fire department, and noted a concerning rise in domestic violence incidents, which are now the second leading motive in homicides and non‑fatal shootings. He advocated for a family justice center and the return of a second‑responders program to better support domestic violence victims.

Key Outcomes

• The committee approved the minutes from the March 24, 2026 meeting.
• The committee voted to forward the appointment of Aben Thomas to the full council.
• The committee voted unanimously (3‑0) to forward Ordinance 2026‑059 to the full council with a recommendation to approve.
• The committee received presentations from the Fire Chief and Police Chief and directed staff to follow up on a presentation from the Sheriff regarding jail conditions, a presentation on illegal dumping for next month, and a briefing from the Commonwealth’s Attorney on justice services and family justice center.