Richmond Anti-Violence Agency Seeks Review In Wake Of Bloody Brawl
RICHMOND (KCBS) – An anti-violence agency in Richmond that was embroiled in controversy with police is looking closely at its future in the community, with agency officials saying that they think its time to evaluate the effectiveness of the organization.
A bloody brawl erupted inside the Office of Neighborhood Safety last year, and when police came to investigate, none of the agency's staff would talk about it. The fight occurred last summer between young people who had been helped by the agency.
"I think we were able to, quite frankly, operate under the radar until the dustup," said Agency Director Devone Boggan. "It plays in our favor because what it did is make more folks curious about what it is we do."
KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:
Boggan works with young people who are involved in gun violence in Richmond, and thinks the Office of Neighborhood Safety might benefit from an independent evaluation.
"It helps us to better appreciate what we're doing right, and it helps us to appreciate areas for growth," said Boggan.
Boggan said that all he needs now is about $375,000 to perform the evaluation.
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