Richmond Police Chief Will Smith handed in his resignation on June 16 after his out of control officers brutalized several people during the George Floyd protests in Richmond Virginia. In fact PINAC News posted video of several Richmond Police Department officers pepper spraying innocent people for no reason.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced Smith’s resignation on Tuesday afternoon, CBS News reports. The mayor also addressed public safety as follows:
Richmond is ready for a new approach to public safety. I believe that we have to do more to elevate the voices of our community, and I believe we have to do more to take a human services approach to public safety. [Chief Smith] has served this city with grace but we are ready to move it in a new direction.
On Saturday June 13 a Richmond Police Department SUV drove through a crowd of protesters gathered at the statue of Robert E. Lee during a protest. And weeks before that hundreds of peaceful protesters were pepper sprayed and tear gassed 20 minutes before a mandatory curfew went into effect.
Additionally, several officers have been placed on leave pending investigations into their conduct during the protests.
Smith joined the Richmond Police Department in 1995 and has been the city’s police chief since June 2019. Major William Blackwell will be the Interim Richmond Police Department Chief.
