After a nationwide search, Richard “Rick” Edwards’ interim position as Richmond’s police chief became permanent when the 24-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department was sworn in July 24 as the city’s 21st police chief.

A total of 26 applications were submitted, including that of then Interim Chief Edwards who stepped into the role last October after former Police Chief Gerald Smith resigned. Chief Edwards was one of just three candidates who were eventually interviewed for the position of chief of police by a panel of nine Richmond city government and community leaders.

In announcing the panel’s unanimous selection to lead the men and women of RPD, Mayor Levar Stoney said he could think of “no one better suited to this role at this time than Chief Rick Edwards.”

Two weeks after his official swearing-in, the Richmond Free Press asked Chief Edwards to address some of the issues affecting his department and Richmond.

RFP: How do you feel being appointed the City of Richmond’s new police chief?

Chief Edwards: I am excited at the opportunity to lead this fine department. I am so proud of the men and women of RPD and it’s a true honor to be their chief.

RFP: Last year, as acting chief, you noted morale and recruitment as two of your top priorities. What actions have you taken in this regard and with what success?

Chief Edwards: Morale is higher than when I took over in October. I know that because of the feedback I get every day from our officers and civilians. It’s my job to make sure that we continue that progress going forward.

There is no doubt we need more sworn officers. One thing we are doing is we are turning every Richmond Police employee into a recruiter. As of July 1, 2023, any employee that refers someone to the police department gets a $500 bonus if that person is eventually hired. Furthermore, they get another $500 bonus after that newly hired officer completes their 12th month with the department. We have seen a 74% increase in the number of police officer applica- tions for the first half of 2023 versus the same time period in 2022. It’s important to widen the pool of potential recruits because even though we are short-staffed we will not lower our standards. We only want the best representing RPD.

RFP: What are some ways your department is working to improve community-police relations and build trust with residents?

Chief Edwards: It is critical that our community members meet and interact with our officers when there is not an emergency going on. That is why we have monthly sector walks, monthly community “pop-up” events and outdoor roll calls. Building those relationships and getting to know each other as people is so important. I want our officers to find opportunities to get out of their cars and get to know our citizens. I also want our citizens to view members of their police department as legitimate guardians of this city. That is my definition of community policing.

I think transparency is incredibly important. We complete quarterly crime briefings where we inform our community about crime trends and important topics and also answer questions from the media. I have also created a new policy of providing “critical incident briefing” videos after fatal officer-involved shootings in Richmond. Nothing has a greater potential of creating mistrust between a community and its police force than the use of deadly force. When these incidents occur, it is very important that our community knows that we will be honest and transparent with them. It’s also important to note that in addition to crisis inter- vention team training, this year RPD has mandated new training for all officers called Integrating Communication Assessment and Tactics (ICAT). This training focuses on de-escalation and helps officers mitigate the use of deadly force when confronting subjects who are armed with weapons other than firearms. It’s based on lessons learned from police in Scotland, where most officers do not carry firearms. Scottish officers still encounter armed subjects, but they are mostly armed with knives or blunt objects.

RFP: Gun violence continues to be a crisis in the city. What strategies are in place to address the issue of crime reduction and ensure public safety? How will you collaborate with other local agencies and community organizations to address public safety concerns effectively?

Chief Edwards: One of my first meetings after being named the acting chief of police was with Col. Gary Settle of the Virginia State Police. I asked Col. Settle for support with a city-state partnership in the summer of 2023. We’ve had those types of operations in the past, but not for several years. Col. Settle agreed, and we are currently in the midst of “Operation Safe Summer.” Other partners such as the FBI, ATF and the U.S. Marshals Service have joined us. We have a strategy that focuses on deterrence, enforcement and community outreach. In the first seven months of 2023, we had a 7% reduction in all violent crimes. We had an increase in homicides (34 in 2022 versus 40 in 2023), but a 27% decrease in non-fatal shootings. I will never be satisfied with any violent crime in our city, but this reduction shows that when we work with our law enforcement and community partners and have a detailed plan we can have some success. I’m excited to see what we can do as our staffing increases!

RFP: What are the department’s plans to address traffic safety and reduce accidents in the city?

Chief Edwards: We have a robust traffic enforcement plan. Each precinct has 10 areas of focus for speed enforcement based on the “high injury network” and citizen complaints from speeding. We also want to leverage technology, such as speed and red light cameras, in an effort to slow drivers down. We have partnered with Virginia State Police on several traffic and DUI checkpoints. Furthermore, we have a media campaign about our efforts. The goal is not to write a bunch of tickets; the goal is to affect behavior and make our roadways safer.