November 18, 2025
City Manager's Office
Police Department
Community Services
DATE: November 18, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Shasa Curl, City Manager
Tim Simmons, Assistant Police Chief
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager – Community Services Subject:
Update on Officer-Involved Shooting Policies, Body-Worn Camera Standards, and Richmond Mental Health Services
Assessment
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The budget allotment has not been determined at this time, as funding will be determined following receipt and evaluation of proposals submitted through the competitive request for proposal process. In addition, there will be legal costs and staff time associated with the impact discussions regarding the policy revisions.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
September 23, 2025
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
On September 23, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 139-25 directing the City Manager to work with the Police Chief to update or establish policies on officer-involved shootings (OIS) communications and body-worn camera
(BWC) release guidelines and report back within 45 days. City staff is proposing updates to Richmond Police Department’s (RPD) policy outlining the timing, frequency, and transparency of Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) communications; to related body-worn camera (BWC) release standards and to formalize OIS communications standards and BWC release practices to ensure timely, regular, and transparent updates following critical incidents. Policy 306 (Officer-Involved Shootings and Deaths) and Policy 429 (Critical Incident Audio & Video Release Policy) have been revised to implement the directive.
AGENDA
REPORT
November 18, 2025
City Council also directed City staff to work with a consultant to assess mental health services in Richmond.
RECOMMENDED
ACTION:
ADOPT revisions to Richmond Police Department Policies
306 and 429 to: (1) establish required timelines and content for officer-involved shooting public communications; and (2) confirm that body-worn camera (BWC) release standards are aligned with state law, including California Government Code §7923.625 and Assembly Bill 748 and RECEIVE an update on the plan to conduct an assessment of mental health services in Richmond – City Manager’s Office/Richmond Police
Department/Community Services (Shasa Curl 510-620-
6512/Tim Simmons 510-620-1802/LaShonda White 510-620-
6828).
DISCUSSION:
At the direction of the City Council on September 23, 2025, City staff developed a draft comprehensive plan addressing two key directives related to officer-involved shooting (OIS) and in-custody death incidents: (1) Richmond Police Department (RPD) policy regarding timing, frequency, and transparency of OIS communications; and (2) assessment and improvement of mental health and trauma-response services for Richmond residents. This comprehensive report provides the draft recommendations and proposed implementation plan for each directive, in alignment with the City Council’s request for the plan to return within 45 days for review and approval.
Direction from City Council on September 23, 2025:
DIRECT the City Manager to work with Police Chief French and the Richmond Police Department (RPD) staff to update the existing RPD policy or create a new RPD policy to clearly prescribe the timing, frequency, and transparency of officer involved shooting (OIS) communications.
The plan should include and make the following official policy (Attachment 1):
A maximum 24-hour window to issue the first press release A minimum frequency (not more than every 30 calendar days) of communication whether or not there are new developments in the case or investigations
The first press release should include:
Clear information regarding all agencies who will be involved in or conducting investigations
A clear overview of the sequence of investigations
A link to the Community Police Review Commission and a short explanation of their purpose
Information about how to access body cam footage under Assembly Bill 748
November 18, 2025
Information about how those directly affected by the incident can access support services
Any and all footage of an officer-involved shooting that is released should (Attachment 2):
Include only those edits and redactions that are necessary to protect privacy and safety as defined in California Government Code 7923.625.
DIRECT the City Manager to work with staff and consultant(s) to conduct an assessment of mental health services available in Richmond. This assessment would offer a set of recommendations for how the City can commit resources to improve access to mental health services by:
1) increasing services
2) addressing any other access barriers
3) improving outreach, especially to those undergoing crisis such as experiencing an OIS incident.
The final project report with recommendations should be completed within six (6) months of an executed consultant contract.
This comprehensive plan, including the draft recommendations for all three directions, should come back to City Council within 45 days for review and vote for approval.
RPD Policy Regarding Timing, Frequency, and Transparency of OIS Communications and Body-Worn Camera Release Standards Aligned with State Law
When a serious incident occurs—such as an officer-involved shooting or an in-custody death—the public expects clear, timely, and accurate information. The revised policy explains, in plain terms, what the City will communicate and when. First, it requires that the Police Department issue an initial press release within 24 hours of the incident. This early communication does not resolve the case; its purpose is to acknowledge what happened, explain what comes next, and direct people to resources. After the first notice, the policy requires regular public updates at least every 30-calendar days, even if there are no new developments to report. This cadence ensures the community remains informed about the progress of the investigation.
The policy also specifies what the first press release must contain to ensure community members understand the processes. More specifically, the initial press release will identify the agencies involved in the investigation, outline the basic sequence of those investigations, and provide a link to the Community Police Review Commission webpage with a short description of its role. It will also include information about how body-worn camera footage may be accessed under Assembly Bill (AB) 748 and provide directions for how people directly affected by the incident—family members or witnesses—can access support services.
November 18, 2025
Given that video footage can include sensitive content, Policies 306 and 429 set clear guidelines for the release of all body-worn camera footage. Only the edits or redactions that are necessary to protect privacy and safety will be made, as permitted by California Government Code § 7923.625. The timing of any release will follow state law. This balance allows the City to share important information while protecting the rights and safety of those shown in the video.
In short, the revisions create a predictable schedule for updates, a clear checklist of what the public will be told, and consistent rules for video release. These steps are designed to improve transparency, support those directly affected, and maintain the integrity of the investigations.
Based on correspondence received from Richmond Police Officers Association (RPOA), the City is anticipated to participate in impact discussions with the appropriate labor union(s) regarding the policy revisions.
Assessment and Recommendations Regarding Mental Health Services in Richmond
There is a need to strengthen local mental health systems and ensure equitable access for Richmond residents. In response to the City Council directive, City staff will work with a qualified consultant to conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing behavioral and mental health resources and develop strategies to enhance support for the community.
To carry out this work, qualified consultants will be engaged through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) procurement process. The proposed assessment will provide a clear understanding of the current landscape of mental health services in Richmond, identifying gaps in coverage, coordination, and accessibility, with particular attention to underserved and high-risk populations. It is anticipated that the selected consultant will engage in, but may not be limited to, the tasks below:
1. Inventory Services: Conduct a comprehensive inventory of mental health services currently available within Richmond, including public, private, nonprofit, and county-operated programs. The analysis will build upon the draft Richmond Resource Guide developed by the Community Crisis Response Program (Attachment 3).
2. Gap Analysis: Evaluate unmet needs and service gaps, including geographic, cultural, linguistic, affordability barriers, etc.
3. Community Engagement: Facilitate listening sessions and stakeholder interviews with residents, community-based organizations, service providers, and individuals with lived experience to understand understanding of available resources, access to and gaps in services, quality of services, etc.
4. Crisis Response Assessment: Review existing crisis response systems and recommend strategies for improving coordination—especially for incidents involving trauma or crisis (e.g., OIS incidents).
November 18, 2025
5. Recommendations: Develop actionable recommendations for how the City can commit resources to:
o Increase mental health services and capacity;
o Address barriers to access; and
o Enhance community outreach and education.
The draft timeline for the RFP is outlined below.
Task Draft Timeline
Issue Request for Proposals (RFP) November 2025
Consultant Selection December 2025
Contract Execution January 2026
Data Collection and Stakeholder Engagement January – May 2026 Draft Report and Staff Review May – June 2026
Final Report and Recommendations to Council July 2026
Based on the consultant's final recommendations on mental health services and as part of the City’s long-term strategy to strengthen local trauma response, City staff may issue an RFP for Community-Based Support Services for Individuals and Families in Richmond. The draft RFP, which is still in development, outlines the following objectives (Attachment 4):
Deployment of trauma-informed specialists to support families and witnesses after incidents.
Ongoing case management, counseling, and resource navigation in collaboration with the Community Crisis Response Program and the ROCK Team. Cultural and linguistic competence, ensuring accessibility for all Richmond communities.
Evaluation metrics including the number of individuals served, client satisfaction, and improvement in post-crisis stability.
It is anticipated that the selected provider(s) will work closely with the City, Community Crisis Response Program, Contra Costa Behavioral Health, and community partners to ensure coordinated healing and prevention services City-wide.
Next Steps
Upon City Council approval, City staff will:
1. Formalize the revised communication and body-camera release protocols in coordination with RPD and the City Attorney’s Office.
2. Initiate impact discussions with the appropriate labor unions regarding policy revisions to RPD Policy 306 and RPD Policy 429.
3. Finalize and issue the RFP regarding an assessment for mental health support services before the end of the calendar year.
November 18, 2025
4. Conduct the assessment and prepare the final report within six months of contract execution.
5. Present findings and recommendations to the City Council for action.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – RPD Policy 306: Officer-Involved Shootings and Deaths (Proposed Redline)
Attachment 2 – RPD Policy 429: Critical Incident Audio and Video Release Policy 429 (Proposed Redline)
Attachment 3 – CCRP Resource Guide (Draft)
Attachment 4 – Request for Proposals Regarding Mental Health Assessment (Draft)