Richmond City Council 9/22/2026

The Richmond City Council held a meeting on September 22, 2026, which included extensive discussions on public safety technology procurement, specifically regarding automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems. The council reviewed a contract amendment with Axon Enterprise to continue servicing body-worn cameras, tasers, interview room equipment, and to add ALPR, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and drone technology for law enforcement, with a contract term through 2029 and options to extend to 2031. Additionally, a contract with Ashure MSP, Inc. was proposed for CCTV equipment at city facilities. The council also deliberated on inviting the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to present on the privacy and effectiveness concerns of ALPR technology, alongside directing the city manager to bring back a scope of work and fiscal impact for an independent statistical analysis of Richmond crime data related to ALPR effectiveness. The meeting featured robust public commentary both supporting and opposing the ALPR technology and surveillance practices, highlighting concerns about privacy, data sharing, and community trust. The council voted to approve agenda changes and the appointment of Mark Scott as interim city manager. The meeting concluded with a motion to continue the ALPR contract discussion to a future date, targeting October 6, 2026, for further presentations and fiscal impact analysis.