Richmond officials use National Night Out to strengthen community ties, address gun violence

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond officials and community leaders fanned out across the city Tuesday evening for National Night Out. The nationwide campaign is designed to strengthen relationships between residents and law enforcement.

Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said the department is focused on more than just enforcement.

“A big part is our community engagement... getting the community to give us the information we need to solve crimes and help deter it,” Edwards said.

The night of community-building on Tuesday, Aug. 5 comes after a 15-year-old was charged in the shooting of a 12-year-old family member on Monday. The shooting has renewed calls for responsible gun ownership and youth outreach.

“It is just another call for folks, if they are going to own guns to do it safely... to make sure that we’re locking up our guns and keeping them out of the hands of our youth,” said Richmond Mayor Danny Avula.

Avula called the shooting heartbreaking and stressed the role of parents and families in preventing gun violence.

Among the many community partners in attendance was James “JJ” Minor, president of the Richmond Branch of the NAACP. Minor said keeping young people engaged with programs and activities is key to reducing crime.

“We need to give our young people more things to do, especially here in the city of Richmond,” Minor said. “And I think we’re moving in that direction.”

Avula said the city’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention is ramping up efforts with local organizations to offer more programming, including youth clubs, afterschool mentoring and conflict resolution training.

While National Night Out offers a unique opportunity for neighbors and officers to connect face-to-face, Chief Edwards said the real goal is long-term relationship-building -- especially during times when there isn’t a crisis.

“We look for those opportunities when crime scene tape is not up, when our officers can have their guard down and just engage with the people we’re sworn to protect,” Edwards said.

City officials also noted that major crime in Richmond has decreased compared to this time last year, but emphasized that there’s still more work to be done — and that efforts like National Night Out are important in their mission.