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KNTV Local News
Posted on June 15, 2007

Richmond Violence Has Fingers Pointing

Let's start with the good news: Violent crime in Richmond is down about 12% overall from this time last year.

Police credit "Community Policing" and say people in the neighborhoods are starting to bond with the officers who are now expected to make themselves a regular presence.

The same officers working the same beats, to build familiarity. That's about where the good news ends, for now. A man was shot and killed outside a donut shop on MacDonald Thursday afternoon, just hours before a meeting two blocks away, trying to stop this very bloodshed. The residents there, so was the community organization that put it together, so were police officials and Mayor Gayle McLaughlin.

Lots of ideas how to try and fix the many problems... more cops,. more community center staffing, more money, better use of the money Richmond already has. McLaughlin, in her first year as Mayor, took aim at the Richmond Police Officers' Association, claiming they are a "Special Interest" that pushed a majority of council members to allocate nearly $4,000,000 for new officers.

Trouble is, McLaughlin says, the city already HAS the money it needs and 20 unfilled officer positions right now. She says the idea of creating more positions when there are already so many unfilled, is what she calls "Phantom Police." As of this filing, the RPOA had not returned my call and page to its President for a response.