Richmond Public Safety Standing Committee Meeting - September 23, 2026

The Public Safety Standing Committee met on September 23, 2026, to discuss public safety concerns, updates to the city's emergency operations plan, a grant for indoor GIS mapping, and operational updates from the Commonwealth Attorney's Office and the Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response (DECPR).

Consent Calendar

• The minutes from the July 28, 2026, Public Safety Standing Committee meeting were approved without amendments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jennifer Peels described two personal safety incidents: an individual masturbating in her car (with Detective Siegel allegedly delaying the investigation) and a woman pulling a gun on her. She also reported a case of animal abuse where a dog was left tied up for 24 hours, stating that animal control initially deemed it non-emergency. She expressed frustration with police response and thanked Councilwoman Trammell (Riva) for assistance. The committee chair apologized for not connecting her with the deputy of animal control and noted the police chief had responded.
• Richard Watkins (representing Daiichi Shotokan, Virginia LLC, a dojo in the Plaza View Shopping Center) reported loitering, marijuana smoking, graffiti, and a vehicle crashing into his storefront. He stated the landlord is uncooperative and the business is losing patronage. He requested committee assistance, emphasizing the presence of children. Chair Trammell offered to connect him with the Commonwealth Attorney and suggested he call her after 8 p.m.
• Ed Davis (also from the dojo) echoed Watkins' concerns, noting the neighborhood has deteriorated and expressing fear for children's safety. He asked for a thorough investigation.
• Keith Andes (President, Richmond Professional Firefighters Association) announced that through collective bargaining, the minimum safe staffing level for firefighters was restored from 115 to 118 effective October 12, 2026, after meetings with Mayor Avula, CAO Donald, and Chief Siegel. He also praised 911 dispatchers and announced a moment of silence for Battalion Chief Robert Baumgardner (who passed in January 2025) had been held. Chair Trammell thanked him and acknowledged Council President Cynthia Newbell's involvement.

Discussion Items

• Resolution 2026 R031 – Adoption of the Updated Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): Ed (OEM) and Amar Marino Massa (Haggerty Consulting) presented the updated EOP, mandated by the state for revision every five years. Key changes include a shift to functional areas, a new organizational structure (including a Joint Information Center, Liaison Officer, and City Council Liaison), and a planning process (Planning P). The plan was developed through stakeholder engagement, gap analysis, and multiple workshops. Councilmember Abu Bakr asked about placeholder information (e.g., page 57) and external communication strategy. The presenters explained the Joint Information Center, Everbridge (Richmond Ready – currently 16,351 subscribers), and geo-targeted alerts for life-safety events. The plan was unanimously recommended for approval by the full council.
• Ordinance 2026-11 – Acceptance of $50,000 VDEM Grant for GIS Mapping: The ordinance accepts a $50,000 Virginia Department of Emergency Management grant (no city match required) to convert building floor plans from PDFs into interactive GIS data for 911 and CAD systems at five pilot sites (including City Hall and two VCU hospitals). Councilmember Abu Bakr questioned potential ongoing costs and the choice of hospital buildings, but acknowledged no city funds were involved. The item was unanimously recommended for approval.

Presentations

• Commonwealth Attorney's Office Annual Update: Commonwealth's Attorney Colette Wallace McKeachin presented her proposed FY28 budget, requesting a $65,000 increase primarily for the Axon software contract (integration with police body cameras). She reported that the office handled over 50,000 cases in the past year, including 34 murder cases closed with a 91% conviction rate (80 pending). Violent crime is down overall, but aggravated domestic assault is up significantly. She proposed a Family Justice Center (one-stop shop for domestic violence victims) with $500,000 in startup funding committed by Mayor Avula, supported by grants and in-kind contributions. Councilmembers expressed strong support and noted the need for partnerships with RPS and other agencies.
• DECPR Emergency Dispatch Call Presentation: Tori May, Jackie Krotz, and Kenya Washington provided an overview of the 911 center. Key statistics: DECPR handles over 450,000 calls for service annually, with 265,000 contacts (voice + text), and 162,000 non-emergency calls. In FY26, 91.1% of 911 calls were answered within 20 seconds (APCO standard). The center has a 3.3% vacancy rate and 14% turnover (below national average). Training includes 480-hour basic academy, CALEA accreditation (since 2019). The center uses AI for non-emergency calls (19.3% handled without a live operator), with a long-term goal of 50-60%. Committee members asked about answer time benchmarks and resident concerns about the non-emergency number (646-5100). Staff clarified that calls not handled by AI are transferred to communications officers.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution 2026 R031 (Emergency Operations Plan) was forwarded to the full council with a recommendation for approval.
• Ordinance 2026-11 (GIS mapping grant) was forwarded to the full council with a recommendation for approval.
• The committee received updates on firefighter staffing restoration, Commonwealth Attorney priorities (including the Family Justice Center), and DECPR operational stats.
• Chair Trammell noted that future meetings will include updates from the fire department, police department, and animal care control.