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Public Safety Standing Committee

May 29, 2025 ·1:00 PM Final

Council Chamber, 2nd Floor – City Hall

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 46 items

  1. 1 Persons requesting to provide comments virtually during the public hearings or public comment period held at this meeting, must call the Office of the City Clerk at (804) 646-7955, option 3, by no later than 10:00 a.m., on Thursday, May 29, 2025.
  2. 1 Committee Members and other Councilmembers in Attendance
  3. 2 Call to Order
  4. 2 The Honorable Reva Trammell – Chair The Honorable Sarah Abubaker – Member The Honorable Nicole Jones – Alternate
  5. 3 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement and Public Speaker Guidelines
  6. 3 Absent
  7. 4 Public Comment Period
  8. 4 The Honorable Stephanie Lynch – Vice Chair
  9. 5 Approval of Minutes
  10. 5 Staff and Others in Attendance
  11. 6 There were no minutes for approval.
  12. 6 Nahdiyah Muhammad, Assistant City Clerk Tabrica Rentz, Deputy City Attorney Candice Reid, City Clerk Steve Taylor, Council Policy Analyst RJ Warren, Deputy City Clerk
  13. 7 Presentation(s)
  14. 8 Richmond Ambulance Authority and Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response Data Comparison
  15. 8 Chair Reva Trammell called the meeting to order at 1:01 p.m., and presided.
  16. 9 May 29, 2025 - RAA and DECPR Data Comparison CD.2025.186
  17. 10 Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority's (RRHA) New Enhanced Security and Enforcement Strategy
  18. 10 Upon the Chair’s request, Assistant City Clerk Nahdiyah Muhammad provided information on the appropriate way to evacuate the Council Chamber in an emergency along with public speaker guidelines.
  19. 11 May 29, 2025 - RRHA New Enhanced Security and Enforcement Strategy CD.2025.187
  20. 12 page break
  21. 12 There were no public comment speakers.
  22. 13 Paper(s) for Consideration
  23. 14 There were no papers for consideration.
  24. 15 Board Vacancies
  25. 16 There were no board vacancies.
  26. 17 Discussion Item(s)
  27. 17 Steven Nesmith, RRHA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), presented the committee with RRHA's new enhanced security and enforcement strategy.
  28. 18 There were no discussion items.
  29. 19 Staff Report
  30. 19 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  31. 20 May 29, 2025 - Public Safety Staff Report CD.2025.188
  32. 20 The committee requested additional information regarding outreach methods, community meetings, summer youth work programs, de-escalation partnerships, Police Athletic League (PAL) involvement, legal action for recording violent crimes, and NAACP hot spots pop-up events.
  33. 21 CEO Nesmith responded that RRHA would host community meetings and an ice cream social at Creighton Court the first week of June.
  34. 22 Ralph Stuckey, RRHA Vice President of Resident Services, explained that RRHA launched a summer youth work program modeled after the Mayor's Youth Academy and is expanding it in coordination with the City. RRHA would partner with Real Life to provide free de-escalation training through a State Attorney General's grant.
  35. 23 Corey Franklin, RRHA Senior Vice President of Affordable Housing, stated that RRHA hired de-escalation specialists for residents and management.
  36. 24 Chief of Police Rick Edwards discussed partnership with RRHA and PAL for summer youth programs, noting difficulties in prosecuting individuals for uploading violent acts and the risk of public embarrassment inciting further violence.
  37. 25 James JJ Minor, President of the Richmond Branch NAACP, provided information regarding upcoming NAACP events.
  38. 28 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  39. 29 Steve Taylor, Council Policy Analyst, provided background information regarding the data comparison for Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) and DECPR.
  40. 30 The committee requested additional information regarding DECPR call answer data: • Potential barriers regarding call answer data • The 95% call answer goal • Training for call categorization. • The ratio of answered calls to automated messages
  41. 31 Tory Maye, Deputy Director of Operations for DECPR, explained that call answer data varies, and monthly analysis provides better insight. Mr. Maye noted that DECPR is the second busiest call center in Virginia and will conduct in-person training prior to August 1, 2025. He explained that automated messages ensure emergency contact systems allow callback for disconnected calls.
  42. 32 Chic Decker, Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), presented RAA call answer data. When asked about transferring EMS calls from DECPR back to RAA, CEO Decker stated that the Robert Bobb Group recommended transferring emergency medical dispatch services to DECPR, while noting that RAA receiving EMS calls would ensure proper categorization.
  43. 40 Council staff provided the committee with the May Public Safety staff report.
  44. 42 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  45. 43 Adjournment
  46. 44 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:16 p.m.