Operation Safe Summer gears up
Free Press staff report | 6/1/2023, 6 p.m.
Richmond, state and federal law enforcement will be working closer together than ever as part of a new initiative they say will seek to stop violent crime and protect children, during a season when crimes tend to increase.
The program, Operation Safe Summer, begins Saturday, June 10, and continues until Friday, Sept. 8. The program, while a first for Richmond, has been implemented by federal and local law enforcement in the past in other parts of the country, including Florida, Georgia and Minneapolis.
The program’s five-point plan for Richmond will involve cooperative patrolling by state troopers and the Richmond Police Department throughout the city, with a focus on areas where high crime occurs.
RPD officers also will be stationed at George Wythe High School and Fairfield Elementary School’s Gill Center on Fridays and Saturdays, as part of a partnership with Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s office.
Investigations and prosecutions will be handled by both RPD and federal partners like the FBI. RPD also plans to continue its safety walks and other community events to build and maintain relationships with the public, and will be providing safes to gun owners to ensure and encourage proper storage of firearms.
