by Jon Baliles
One thing we already know, is that crime is out of control in the City. Jon Burkett at CBS is known as the Crime Insider and rightfully so given that is basically all he has covered in the region for two decades. He gave an interview on July 6 on WRVA’s Morning News with John Reid that does not paint an optimistic picture.
He said bewildered, “I don’t know what’s going on,” which for a guy of his experience, knowledge, and contacts is not a good indicator. He also pointed out that Mayor Stoney appeared at an event (before the July 5th event mentioned above in in the previous post) but no one asked him any questions about crime over the weekend. Then yesterday a bizarre story down by VCU on Broad Street where a restaurant patron was attacked with a chair and then chased and shot at the suspect in her car.
In total in the region (including Petersburg) over last weekend, Burkett said there were 21 people shot and four killed, including a domestic violence double murder in Henrico. He said some is/might also be gang related and some just unexplained randomness.
CBS6’s Tyler Lane covered the story that frames what happened last weekend: in two locations over five hours, there were nine people shot, one of them fatally in a random drive-by while sitting on a patio at a hot dog joint.
A local businessman “who goes by Mr. Alkarriem” near the Jackson Ward/Broad Street shooting that included six gunshot victims pointed out that it happens every night.
While he’s tired of the gun violence, he said he sometimes feels helpless trying to get people to put down their guns.
“We also got the people who don’t understand and don’t care and don’t have the guidance,” he said. “We try to talk to them, but some of them don’t want the guidance. They’re influenced by other things, other negative things.”
Mr. Alkarriem, who once was incarcerated himself, called on the community to cooperate more with the police to not only solve crimes but prevent them from happening.
“Some people, when they see a law enforcement officer, it’s just negative. That used to be me back then, but I got a saying– I used to run from them, but now I go to them,” he said.
So, back to Burkett and the Mayor and the lack of questions about what is happening. At the July 5th press conference, the Mayor had to answer questions about crime and urged people to do more.
“We need more,” Stoney said during the press conference, “More policies to keep people safe, so these firearms, these weapons of war don’t get in the hands of the wrong people.”
Stoney said he’s also had conversations with the Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin about how to help in this effort, but the justice system is just one piece of the solution. We can’t just be tough on crime and say investing law enforcement is the only answer. We also have to be tough on the root causes of crime.”
He is right about that and the City has done more in recent years in trying to address the root cause issue. Stoney has funded many after-school and community initiatives that sound great on paper and in press conferences, but once the announcement is made and the budget funded, have we seen tangible signs that these initiatives are working? Is there an audit or performance report showing what is working and what needs fixing?
We know for a fact public safety staffing is taking a beating, the mayor finally made salaries but only after many had left their posts or switched to other localities. Once the horse is out of the barn it’s ten times harder to fix. While Stoney did thank the police for being in the community and preventing crimes and situations many of us never hear about, ask any person on the force and they are skeptical (at best) of the sincerity.
Burkett also asked some questions at the press conference but when asked about the above shootings, “the mayor turned his focus on guns, judges, and the federal government.”
“[Gun violence is] an epidemic here in Richmond and has been an epidemic for generations here in the city. But it’s obvious now, that this is an epidemic all across this country,” Stoney said. “Unfortunately, because of the proliferation of these weapons of war and who can get their hands on them, whether you’re at home in your cul-de-sac or in your neighborhood or in a park or at a parade, out dining, you have to keep your head on a swivel. And that’s not the country that I know I desire to live in.”
So, that’s just the way it its and it has happened for generations so we have to live with our head on a swivel? It won’t change here until the national gun problem is solved, according to the mayor. What about when there was community policing and a fully funded police contingent of officers like there was between (roughly) 2006 and 2018 — when homicides and crime plummeted? If you recall back then, Mayor Wilder and Chief Monroe had a monthly list of who the wanted criminals were and their own family members were calling and turning them in. What about Project Exile as a tool to get illegal guns off the street? What about when government officials made the tough call to support the public safety sector (and demand accountability to the public)? What about people like Mr. Alkarriem and many like him all over the City who report problems and issues to the police so they can try and help rather than come by after the fact and just count shell casings? It’s kind of a “everything needs to be on the table” moment.
Fighting crime, engaging the community, and running a police department that respects the community and is respected by it is super hard work. But that’s the job of the Mayor and the Council. If you treat people, or employees, or co-workers — or the public — like garbage, you usually get garbage or lack of effort in return. If you are supportive and helpful, you often get that back in return.
Stoney seems to have decided to pass the buck and wait for Congress to fix something (hell, anything), and that is the complete abdication of responsibility of the local officials that are supposed to fix it. Or at least show you are trying to fix it. And who is supposed to roam our streets and enforce all of these the old and new federal policies we need? ATF agents, Homeland Security, the TSA, the FBI?
It’s appalling to say, as Stoney did: “And so if members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, want to pat themselves on the back like they’ve done something, come to urban areas like Richmond on a day-to-day basis, weekend to weekend, and we’re going to tell you, you’re going see for yourself, that we need more policies to keep people safe.”
Translated, that says: “It’s not my job. It is Congress’ fault, and if you want to see how bad it is come down for a weekend and see for yourself. But be sure to eat at our awesome restaurants and try our craft beer scene while you are here! That’s Richmond Real!”
While we are waiting on approval of those federal policies to keep us safe, how about some leadership? And which of the two will likely arrive first?
This column has been republished with permission from RVA 5X5.
