Richmond, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - Members of Richmond City Council held a closed session on Tuesday night to discuss "police plans to protect public safety and briefings by law-enforcement officials concerning actions taken to respond to threats to public safety." In the council meeting that preceded the closed session, Councilmember Reva Trammel was impassioned in her insistence that any discussions relating to the alleged July 4th mass shooting plot for Dogwood Dell should be held publicly, telling Councilmember Cynthia Newbille that keeping discussion private made it seem like a cover-up to the public. "This is wrong and you know it," she told the council chair. Despite this, the council voted 8-1 to enter a closed session for roughly two hours, joined in the first half by Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith.
Two members of city council, Stephanie Lynch and Reva Trammel, left during the closed session but were unable to comment at that time. Afterwards, however, Councilmember Mike Jones said that he felt his concerns were heard and that a need for transparency was communicated. He emphasized that the issue was largely one of communication between Richmond Police and City Government, and said that his focus is turned towards gun violence still happening in Richmond.
