Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Location: Richmond Office of Elections – 2134 W. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227
The Richmond Office of Elections building cooling system has been restored, and the office will reopen during regular business hours today.
We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding during this temporary disruption. If you need assistance, please contact our office at (804) 646-5950 or email [email protected].
Richmond, VA — Today Mayor Danny Avula announced a set of actions the City of Richmond is taking to safeguard community trust and draw a clear line between local policing and federal immigration enforcement. These actions, recommended by the Mayor’s Inclusive Communities Preparedness Work Group, formalize and expand upon the administration’s longstanding position that the Richmond Police Department does not enforce federal immigration law and does not coordinate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“The fear our neighbors are feeling right now is real — the fear of going to work, taking children to school, or even running everyday errands like going to the grocery store,” said Mayor Danny Avula . “Our city government exists to serve all Richmonders, and we will continue to work to build the trust that is essential to keeping our communities safe.”
The actions include:
Increased Flock data sharing restrictions. In addition to cutting off all federal agency access to its license-plate reader data, the Richmond Police Department will now prohibit sharing Flock Safety data with any jurisdiction in Virginia that has entered into a 287(g) agreement with ICE. This helps ensure that technology deployed to solve local crimes in Richmond is not used as a tool for immigration enforcement in other localities across the Commonwealth.
RPD uniform updates. The Richmond Police Department will update officer uniforms to read “RICHMOND POLICE”, making them clearly and visually distinguishable from federal law enforcement agents. Reports from across the region have described ICE agents conducting enforcement operations in dark tactical gear that closely resembles local police, creating confusion and fear in communities. The uniform changes will help residents immediately identify RPD officers from their local police department.
Prohibiting ICE from staging operations on City property. The City will prohibit federal agencies from using City-owned property — including buildings, parking lots, and public facilities — to stage immigration operations, process detainees, or conduct surveillance related to immigration enforcement.
Raising concerns directly to ICE. The administration will establish a regular cadence of meetings with ICE’s Richmond field office to raise concerns from residents, communicate the City’s policies and expectations, and ensure open channels of communication. This proactive approach allows the City to advocate directly for the safety and dignity of Richmond residents while still upholding its commitments to resident safety.
“The Richmond Police Department’s mission is community policing — building trust, strengthening relationships, solving crimes, and keeping neighborhoods safe,” said Chief Rick Edwards . “We understand that some residents may feel uncertainty or concern when they see law enforcement activity in their neighborhoods. That is why it is important that the public can clearly identify our officers and know who we are when we respond to serve the community. We want every resident to feel safe calling us for help, reporting crime, or speaking with an officer. Our focus is, and always will be, protecting the people of Richmond and working in partnership with the communities we serve.”
Richmond has not entered into a 287(g) agreement with ICE and does not participate in the enforcement of federal immigration law. In January 2026, Mayor Avula established the Inclusive Communities Preparedness Work Group to identify additional steps the City can take to respond to emergent threats and challenges facing immigrant communities.
The Richmond Police Department’s Hispanic Liaison can be reached at 804-646-5158 or [email protected] .
Richmond, Virginia — El alcalde Danny Avula anunció hoy un conjunto de medidas que la Ciudad de Richmond está tomando para conservar la confianza de la comunidad y trazar una división clara entre las autoridades policiales locales y las agencias federales de inmigración. Estas acciones, que fueron recomendadas por el Equipo de Trabajo de Preparación de Comunidades Incluyentes del alcalde, formalizan y expanden la posición establecida por la administración desde hace tiempo de que el Departamento de Policía de Richmond (RPD) no lleva a cabo ningún tipo de acción relacionada con las leyes federales de inmigración, ni tampoco se coordina con la Autoridad de Aduanas e Inmigración (ICE) de los Estados Unidos.
Dijo el alcalde Danny Avula : “El miedo que ahora tienen nuestros vecinos es real: el miedo de salir a trabajar, de llevar a sus hijos a la escuela, inclusive de realizar actividades diarias y rutinarias como ir a la tienda a hacer mercado”, y añadió: “El gobierno de nuestra ciudad está aquí para servirle a todos los richmondeses y seguiremos trabajando para establecer la confianza que es indispensable para mantener seguras a nuestras comunidades”.
Las medidas incluyen:
Un aumento en las restricciones de intercambio de datos de Flock. Además de cortar por completo el acceso de las agencias federales a sus datos de los lectores de placas, el Departamento de Policía de Richmond ahora prohibirá compartir los datos del sistema de seguridad Flock con cualquier jurisdicción de Virginia que haya entrado a un acuerdo 287(g) con ICE. Esto ayuda a asegurar que la tecnología que desplegamos para resolver delitos locales en Richmond no sea utilizada como una herramienta de vigilancia de inmigración en otras localidades de la Mancomunidad.
Actualizar los uniformes del RPD. El Departamento de Policía de Richmond cambiará sus uniformes de manera que ahora tengan escrito “RICHMOND POLICE” (“Policía de Richmond”), para hacerlos visualmente diferentes de los utilizados por los agentes de las autoridades federales de inmigración. Existen informes de toda la región que han descrito el vestuario de los agentes de ICE que realizan redadas como “equipo táctico de colores oscuros”, muy parecidos a los de la policía local, lo que crea confusión y temor en las comunidades. Estos cambios en el uniforme ayudarán a la población a identificar inmediatamente a los agentes de policía de Richmond.
Prohibir que ICE se reúna para preparar sus operaciones en instalaciones municipales. La Ciudad prohibirá que las agencias federales utilicen propiedades municipales, incluyendo edificios, estacionamientos e instalaciones públicas, para montar sus operaciones de inmigración, procesar a los detenidos o ejercer actividades de vigilancia relacionadas con las redadas de inmigración.
Presentar sus inquietudes directamente a ICE. La administración establecerá una secuencia regular de reuniones con la oficina de campo de ICE en Richmond, con el fin de plantear las inquietudes de los richmondeses, comunicar las políticas y expectativas de la Ciudad y asegurar que existan canales abiertos de comunicación. Este enfoque proactivo permite que la administración municipal abogue directamente por la seguridad y dignidad de los habitantes de Richmond, al tiempo que mantiene su compromiso con la seguridad de la población.
Dijo el jefe de policía Rick Edwards : “La misión del Departamento de Policía de Richmond es proteger a la comunidad, estableciendo confianza, fortaleciendo relaciones, resolviendo delitos y manteniendo las comunidades seguras”, y agregó: “Comprendemos que algunos richmondeses sientan incertidumbre o preocupación cuando ven actividades policiales en sus vecindarios; es por eso que es importante que el público pueda identificar claramente a nuestros agentes y oficiales y sepa quiénes somos cuando respondemos y le servimos a la comunidad. Queremos que cada persona se sienta segura cuando nos llame pidiendo ayuda, informando sobre un delito o al hablar con un agente. Nuestra meta es, y siempre será, proteger a la población de Richmond y trabajar en colaboración con las comunidades a las que servimos”.
Richmond firmado ningún acuerdo 287(g) con ICE, ni participa en la ejecución de las leyes federales de inmigración. En enero de 2026, el alcalde Avula creó el Equipo de Trabajo de Preparación de Comunidades Incluyentes para identificar otras medidas que puede tomar la Ciudad para responder a las nuevas amenazas y desafíos a los que se enfrentan las comunidades inmigrantes.
También pueden comunicarse con la oficina de Enlace Hispano del Departamento de Policía de Richmond llamando al 804-646-5158 o escribiendo al correo [email protected] .
Richmond, Va. — The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is proud to announce that Senior Director Anthony “Scott” Morris has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Virginia Municipal Drinking Water Association for a three-year term ending in 2029.
The Virginia Municipal Drinking Water Association works to support and strengthen municipal drinking water utilities across the Commonwealth through collaboration, advocacy, education and the promotion of safe, reliable drinking water services.
In addition to his new appointment, Morris also serves on the board of the Virginia Association of Municipal Wastewater Agencies (VAMWA), further reflecting his leadership and involvement in advancing utility services across the Commonwealth.
“I’m honored to serve on the board of the Virginia Municipal Drinking Water Association,” Morris said. “Access to safe, reliable drinking water is essential to every community, and I look forward to collaborating with utility leaders across Virginia to support innovation, strengthen partnerships and advance initiatives that enhance public water systems.”
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About the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities
The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities provides natural gas, water, wastewater, stormwater and streetlight services to more than 500,000 customers in the Richmond metropolitan area. DPU is committed to safety, reliability and innovation in delivering essential utility services that support the city’s residents, businesses and environment.
Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Location: Richmond Office of Elections – 2134 W. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227
Due to a building cooling system failure and current weather conditions, the Richmond Office of Elections will remain closed as we work to restore safe and suitable conditions inside the building.
A work order request has been submitted, and we are actively monitoring the situation. Additional updates will be provided as we continue working to restore satisfactory conditions inside our building.
If you need assistance, please contact our office via email at [email protected].
We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
As temperatures climb this summer and heat waves impact the region, the City of Richmond is offering several resources and cooling options to help residents stay safe and beat the heat.
Beginning May 19, 2026 through Labor Day, the City of Richmond will offer walk-up cooling centers in neighborhoods across the City that includes Richmond Public Library locations, Parks and Recreation outdoor pools, and Southside Plaza.
Offering accessible water and brief relief from the heat.
Southside Plaza
4100 Hull Street Road
Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Community Resource and Training Center
1900 Chamberlayne Parkway
Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Richmond Public Library
Various locations offer air-conditioned spaces. Operating hours vary by branch. To find individual library hours, visit: https://rvalibrary.org/about/hours/
|
Location |
Address |
| Main Library | 101 E. Franklin Street |
| Belmont | 3100 Ellwood Avenue |
| Broad Rock | 4820 Old Warwick Road |
| East End | 1200 N. 25th Street |
| Ginter Park | 1200 W. Brook Avenue |
| Hull Street | 1400 Hull Street |
| North Avenue | 2901 North Avenue |
| West End | 5420 Patterson Avenue |
| Westover Hills | 1408 Westover Hills Boulevard |
Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Outdoor Pools
Open for public use to cool off.
Parks and Recreation will begin the 2026 outdoor pool season on Saturday, May 23 though Monday, September 7. Please note that the department will be opening pools in two phases, outlined below.
|
Operation Dates |
Operation Times |
Locations |
|
May 23 - May 25 |
1 - 7 p.m. |
Battery Park, Blackwell, Randolph, and Fairmont Pools |
|
May 26 - May 29 |
4 - 7 p.m. |
Battery Park, Blackwell, Randolph, and Fairmont Pools |
| May 30 - September 7 |
Monday - Friday Saturday & Sunday Holidays (Juneteenth, July 4, and Labor Day) |
All outdoor locations |
|
Pool Location |
Address |
| Battery Park | 2719 Dupont Circle |
| Blackwell | 238 E. 14th Street |
| Fairmont | 2000 U Street |
| Hotchkiss Field | 701 E. Brookland Park Boulevard |
| Powhatan | 1000 Apperson Street |
| Randolph | 1507 Grayland Avenue |
| Woodville | 230 Fairfield Avenue |
Salvation Army Extreme Heat and Weather Shelter
If the temperature is expected to reach 92°F for two or more consecutive hours during the day, the Salvation Army Extreme Heat and Weather Shelter will open. This space is located at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue would be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and guests will be served water and snacks while in this cooling center. The site will remain open overnight if temperatures are predicted to be 92°F or higher at 9 p.m.
Communication of the opening of the the Salvation Army Extreme Heat and Weather Shelter will be done through RVA 311 and Richmond Ready.
Pets, except for service animals, are not permitted at any location.
