Richmond, VA Mayor Levar Stoney announced that he is appointing Deputy Chief Gerald Smith of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as the new chief of the Richmond Police Department.
Chief Smith will assume the position on July 1, 2020.
“Deputy Chief Gerald Smith is who Richmond needs right now – a reform-minded leader with deep experience in community policing and de-escalation,”
said Mayor Stoney.
Chief Smith currently serves as the Executive Officer of Investigative Services in Charlotte, NC. In that position, he commands criminal investigations including domestic violence, crimes against children, sexual assault, and homicide.
Chief Smith has been with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department since 1991, rising in the ranks from community police officer to deputy chief.
Former Richmond Police Chief William Smith resigned earlier this month due to rising tensions with police and George Floyd protesters.
