From the very beginning of this website, audio recordings of speeches and panel discussions have been a hallmark. There are hours and hours of recordings from the Senior Statesmen of Virginia.
There’s been a pause in those recordings but starting now I’m hopeful I’ll be able to bring you the audio of future events which touch on all manner of topics about our community.
On August 9, 2023, the Senior Statesmen of Virginia gathered at Westminster Canterbury on Pantops to ask: How Safe is Our Community?
They invited the police chiefs of the three area jurisdictions to answer that question and other matters related to public safety. In attendance were:
- Tim Longo, Associate Vice President and Chief of Police at the University of Virginia
- Sean Reeves, Chief of the Albemarle County Police Departmen
- Michael Kochis, Chief of the Charlottesville Police Department
The program was moderated by Bob Beard of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia.
Timeline for the audio:
02:00 – Chief Tim Longo speaks first
06:00 – Chief Sean Reeves speaks second
12:30 – Chief Mike Kochis speaks third
18:45 – First question: Can the uptick in crime be attributed to schools being closed in the early days of the COVID pandemic?
23:30 – Second question: What laws would you deploy to reduce guns on the street?
29:15 – Third question: Would Albemarle County follow Charlottesville’s example and create a gun buy-back program?
33:00 – Fourth question: What should I do to protect myself when I am traveling to unsafe areas?
39:00 – Fifth question: Question about landlords of large residential developments requesting police refrain from patroling certain places
46:00 – Sixth question: Is it harder to be a police officer today than before cellphones? l
52:00 – Seventh question: Do any of the police department hers allow ride-alongs?
52:30 – Eighth question: How can the public support the police department and the mental health of officers?
56:30 – Ninth question: Do you ever get involved in computer scams?
58:15 – Tenth question: How can we help you do your job?