Read on Twitter
To watch today's #RVACouncil Public Safety Committee meeting, click this link and press the "in progress" meeting link! https://richmondva.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=25339&GUID=16A2BC32-20C9-4FA3-A00D-E97B0FBF513B
Kim Gray is late for the meeting. Is this who ya'll want as Mayor?
Literally waiting on @kimgray4rva to begin this Public Safety committee meeting. And yet, she was so vocal in the press....Also, Reva Trammell, who has been re-named "Lil Baby Trump" by me last night, is the CHAIR of the committee.
Reva Trammell is the Chair of the #RVACouncil Public Safety committee and Kim Gray is the vice-chair. This committee has not met since February.
These meetings are painful to listen to.
Chief Gerald Smith is having trouble logging in. Can we do the bare minimum lmaooooo
@Stephanie4RVA is introducing her resolution around the banning of chemical weapons + rubber bullets + etc. These weapons + tools of warfare have caused substantial harm to the community.
I have talked to folks who have bled for dozens of days on end after being gassed by Richmond Police + Virginia State Police + VCU PD
The tear gas has serious impact on menstrual cycles. Its not a joke.
This bill says that the police cannot use chemical warfare on unlawful assemblies and peaceful protests. Now the Chief is back, and they are opening up for questions.
The Chief is asking to be able to create criteria before the resolution would be put forth -- he says he's 21 days into his job. He wants to have trained support staff that makes the calls about "when" and "how much is used" when we use these weapons.
He cites the last few nights as an example of good use of chemical warfare.
"'unlawful assemblies' is one thing, 'riot behavior' is another"...Chief Gerald says
He wants to come back to the committee with a criteria for the policies about how they will use the weapons.
@kimgray4rva wants to continue this paper, pending the results of a study.
Are we really not enthusiastically passing a bill to BAN chemical warfare? They also just completely skipped public comment, which is starting now. They listened to the Chief, had their conversation, tried to motion to continue WITHOUT listening to the people.
This is so troubling.