Safety

Crimes increase in city parks, officials say

Crime seems to be on the rise in Richmond parks. Although car break-ins are the most common problem, officials report some far more serious offenses, including a recent case of rape. Carolyn Jones, public information officer for the East Bay Regional Park District, said 324 auto burglaries have been reported across the district’s 65 parks so far in 2015, compared to 237 in all of 2014. Many of these break-ins and some of the more serious crimes have taken place along public shorelines…

Fed up with gun violence, event encourages community change

All too often, gunfire and police sirens have formed the soundtrack at Richmond’s John F. Kennedy Park. It sounded different Saturday afternoon. When hip-hop blared through loudspeakers, and friends and family of veteran community organizer Elana Bolds celebrated “Put Down the Guns.” Bolds and community allies have organized the annual event for the last eight years. After singing at too many funerals and witnessing the suffering gun violence caused, Bolds said she decided to do something. “I was tired of…

Attorney General listens to Richmond leaders

U.S Attorney General Loretta Lynch came to Richmond on Friday, ending a national tour in a city starting to shake off its reputation as a crime capital. Lynch, addressing a cross-section of community leaders in the Richmond City Council chambers Friday, said she wanted to learn from cities that have “fought their way back from the brink.” Richmond has been attracting recognition as a model of improved community and police relations. Yet on Friday, a small crowd protested before Lynch spoke,…