Re “Wronged: Richmond police interactions pack sting, costs for 2 local men,” Feb. 19-21 edition: Having read Free Press staff writer Jeremy Lazarus’s articles, I found it necessary to respond and praise them.

In fact, the timing of the stories couldn’t have been better. Just recently, a bill introduced by state Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Richmond, with a companion bill introduced by Delegate Michael T. Futrell, D-Prince William, was presented before the respective houses of the General Assembly for consideration. The bills, called the Virginia Community Policing Act, called for the study of community policing across the Commonwealth. The act not only would have required the local police to file such incidents with the Virginia State Police, but would have called for better accountability from our local law enforcement agencies and prosecutorial officers.

Unfortunately, in the wake of the disturbances in New York City, Ferguson, Mo., San Francisco and places across this nation regarding community policing, both chambers of the General Assembly felt it was not important enough to be an active leading force on such a situation, but instead to be its usual “behind the times” reactive self and laid the bills aside — effectively killing them for this year.

Hopefully, articles like Mr. Lazarus’ and continued efforts from such concerned “public servants” such as Sen. McEachin and Delegate Futrell will bring the General Assembly into the light before the light shines on its failure to do anything.

RODNEY B. THOMAS

Richmond

The writer is the legislative representative for the Virginia State Conference NAACP.