With the city and its unincorporated North Richmond neighbor still in the throes of a month wracked with violence, city and county leaders are inviting residents to community meeting tonight at 4 p.m.
The meeting, which will be held in the Bermuda Room at the Civic Center, was called for late last week by Councilmember Corky Booze. “We all need to get together,” Booze said. “I’m looking for Richmond residents, North Richmond residents, everybody is welcome. We need to hear the people’s voices and look for solutions.”
The meeting is expected to draw officials from the city police and county sheriffs departments, along with County Supervisor John Gioia, who represents the small unincorporated community of North Richmond.
Nine people have been slain in July in the city of Richmond, including a 20-year-old man who was shot and killed Saturday night, bringing the homicide total in the city to 21. Much of the violence has been attributed to an ongoing rivalry between residents in central Richmond and North Richmond, where three more young men have been killed this year, including one this month.
“We were invited by Councilmember Booze to be a participant and a speaker at tonight’s meeting,” said Terrance Cheung, Gioia’s chief of staff. “We want to identify some common goals and objectives, and our priority is to deal with the crime in north Richmond.”
Cheung also said the meeting will touch on other issues, including job training.
Tonight’s event follows a major press conference by city and county officials July 21 announcing the formation of a new joint task force to combat gangs that cross jurisdictions. The new unit hit the streets the next day, with Richmond police officers riding with Contra Costa County sheriff’s deputies on patrol.
Richmond Police Captain Mark Gagan said tonight’s meeting is a strong response to what he called an “outrageous” spate of violence. “I am reassured to see the community organize and take action against this small group of criminals who are paralyzing our neighborhoods with fear,” Gagan wrote in an email Monday. “Their involvement is pivotal in breaking this cycle of violence; every person in the community has the potential to make a contribution and a difference.”
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Yes another meeting about the violence and why it’s up after all that supposed success last year with the “reduction” in crime. Frankly I believe this reduction was more due to how the police compile their data and what crimes really get reported. Nine murders in three weeks! that’s more that a years worth in some places. Clearly another meeting and maybe hiring another million dollar consultant to talk about how much better life is where will do the trick.