Police union and officers tell Richmond council stalled bargaining is worsening staffing crisis

Multiple speakers representing the Richmond Police Officers Association told the City Council the department is experiencing one of its most severe staffing shortages and repeatedly requested firm bargaining dates from the city's negotiating team.

Ben Theriault, president of the Richmond Police Officers Association, said the union was "ready to do that morning, afternoon, and evening" but that the city had not provided dates; he said shortages have forced officers into mandatory holdovers, extensive overtime, and the scaling back of community-focused work. "That level of voluntary commitment is not sustainable as long as negotiations continue to be unresolved," Theriault said during the public-comment period.

Other speakers echoed the warning. Nathan Lonzo, a member of the Richmond Police Officers Association who serves with the department, said recruits who graduated the academy are sitting in the department untrained because the department lacks field training officers; Quan Nguyen, a city employee and POA member, described a recent burglary that went without response for four hours because no officers were available.

Council members asked staff to provide realistic timelines for negotiations and noted they understood the urgency of stabilizing staffing. City Manager Shasta Curl said staff would "do the best we can" and noted that the city had begun reviewing the staffing picture and potential interim supports; she did not announce firm bargaining dates during the meeting.

The concerns voiced to the council are public comments and do not themselves change bargaining status or staffing policy. The record shows the unions requested prompt engagement and dates from the city manager’s negotiating team; the council did not take a formal vote on bargaining procedures at the meeting.