‘City-wide strategy for a safe summer’: Richmond Police launches Operation Safe Summer initiative for 2025
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- "Operation Safe Summer" has returned to Richmond, aimed at suppressing crime throughout the city during these warmer months.
On Monday, June 2, the Richmond Police Department (RPD) announced that Operation Safe Summer 2025 has officially been launched. This program is described as a "comprehensive approach" to ensuring a safer Richmond throughout the summertime.
Most importantly, RPD is reminding Richmonders to safely store their firearms and lock their vehicles. Not only is this best practice, but it will support these ongoing crime reduction efforts.
This year, Operation Safe Summer will involve the following:
Investing in and distributing gun safes
Through American Rescue Plan grant funding, Richmond Police will make gun safes available for families who want to safely store their firearms at home.
If you'd like one such gun safe, call 804-516-0451.
Creating positive environments for youth
The city's Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will offer a variety of low- and no-cost summer programs. Many of the department's camps still have space as of the time of reporting.
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Additionally, "Late Night Gym" will return starting on Friday, June 6. It will operate from 6 to 10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday until Labor Day weekend.
The three participating community centers are:
- Gill Center, Phaup Street
- Southside Community Center, 6255 Old Warwick Rd.
- Bellemeade Community Center, 1800 Lynhaven Ave.
Partnering with Richmond's communities
The department emphasized that "meaningful law enforcement engagement with the community is essential to building trust and earning legitimacy," adding that this is a "core value" for RPD.
To that end, the department will host regular RPD Community Pop-Up Events, which offer resources and activities to local communities. The next pop-up event will take place starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3, in the 2500 block of Phaup Street within the Fairfield Court community.
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Additionally, Command Staff Community Walks will continue to take place monthly. These are designed to "foster relationships with community members and accept input and feedback." The next walk will take place on June 18.
Partnering with local authorities, officials
RPD will work alongside the Richmond City Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to investigate crimes and prosecute suspects throughout Operation Safe Summer.
Programs like Richmond Community Mediators, RPD Chaplain and the Trauma Healing and Response Network will all work towards ensuring public safety, in addition to Richmond Public Schools initiatives like ChildSavers and Communities in Schools.
A hotline has been established by the city's Gun Violence Prevention and Intervention Steering Committee. You can reach that hotline by dialing 804-646-5987.
Partnering at the state and federal levels
Virginia State Police (VSP) will provide RPD with some of its state troopers and patrol cars.
Additionally, RPD will work in partnership with several federal agencies, including the FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to "identify, investigate and prosecute the most significant drivers of gun violence and other violent crime."
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During a crime briefing in April, Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards detailed 17 gun violence "hot spots" throughout Richmond. In addition to the above initiatives, officers -- as well as the deployed state troopers -- will continue to place increased attention on these areas.
"We have a city-wide strategy for a safer summer for all of us in Richmond,” Edwards said in Tuesday's announcement. “We thank the city agencies and all our partners for contributing their valuable energy and skills in this Operation, but it is the role of the community that can be most important. Together we can make this the safest summer for all of us.”
Operation Safe Summer 2024 began two months earlier than usual due to a sudden uptick in violent crime among juveniles, including multiple deadly shootings.
When speaking on the results of the initiative in Oct. 2024, Edwards explained it had shown some success. Violent crime was down by 18% across the city. However, while fewer juveniles were shot accidentally, juveniles were involved in more non-fatal shootings overall.
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Operation Safe Summer 2025 will continue through early September.
