The civic league received the following response this morning to the letter from March 31 about the activity at the boat ramp and on Shore Drive. The civic league is working to follow up specifically on this reply with additional questions and comments.
Dear Mr. Murphy,
Thank you for reaching out with your concerns about safety and security in our community. I understand and share in your frustration regarding the events that occurred over the past weekend. As the weather warms up, Virginia Beach draws so many more visitors. Some coming to enjoy our beautiful waterfronts and others looking for gathering spaces for different reasons. Your attention to this matter is invaluable in helping us maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.
Please see the below responses to your inquiries and let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.
Saturday- Serious traffic accident (potentially DUI-related) There was a four-vehicle accident at 3700 Shore Drive that occurred at 4:48pm. There were no injuries, but one party was charged with DUI.
Saturday afternoon – 3-4 gunshots near Pleasure House Point We have no record of shots fired near Pleasure House Point. The only report of gunshots in that area were reported on Diamond Springs near Shore Drive at 6:11am. If residents have additional information, please let us know so that the Police Department can further investigate.
Sunday evening – Massive “street takeover” at LBR facility
Prior to the events below, Parks and Recreation staff noticed cars parking in the trailer parking lot and loud music and called Police at 5:39pm. Police arrived at 5:55pm and cleared that lot. Officers remained on scene until after staff left at 7:30pm. Police received a priority call for service and left the parking lot with lights on at 7:52pm. A call for service to 9-1-1 was received at 7:55pm. A Third Precinct unit was in the immediate vicinity of the Lynnhaven Boat ramp at 7:56pm but was dispatched to a Priority 2 emergency event shortly thereafter. Due to this emergency event, the Third Precinct resources were tied up and the 2nd precinct responded with the first unit arriving at 8:12pm. In total, ten officers responded to the gathering with lights and sirens. Once the police arrived on scene, patrons of the gathering dispersed without any conflicts. No action was needed to be taken by the police because they did not witness any violations.
Sunday evening – Multivehicle (motorcycle) accident on Lesner Bridge (related to LBR street takeover?) Two motorcycles were in an accident at 10:03 pm at 3400 Shore Drive. There were minor injuries. Because this incident happened more than 90 minutes from the time officers cleared the boat ramp, there is no indication these incidents are related.
Also, I would appreciate access to any footage captured by video surveillance systems at these locations. Requests for video surveillance may be sought via the FOIA process. To assist, we have forwarded this request to FOIA@vbgov.com for review and processing.
Specific recommendations or plans for improving safety and security along Shore Drive in these areas moving forward: a. Clearer Regulations/Signage
Staff is working to place portable digital signage on Shore Drive to alert drivers on when the parking lot is full in hopes of reducing traffic congestion in and around the area.
b. Increased monitoring/patrols
Parks and Recreation will increase staffing at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp for the summer season.
· April 11 – May 1: 6am – 8pm
· May 2 – May 22: 5:30am – 8:30pm
· May 23 – Sept 4: 5:30am – 9pm
· Sept 5 – Sept 18: 6am – 8pm
· Sept 19 – Nov 2: 6:30am – 7:30pm
· Nov 3 – Dec 31: 6:30am – 5:30pm
The Virginia Beach Police Department is committed to fostering a safe environment at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp Facility. To achieve this, the department plans to increase patrols and enhance uniform visibility in the area. Additionally, we will be implementing saturation patrols in collaboration with our Traffic Safety Unit to effectively address traffic safety concerns, reduce the occurrence of accidents, and promote responsible driving practices, including DUI enforcement.
Community Engagement The Third Precinct Community Liaison Officer and Captain Gordon will be attending the Ocean Park Civic League meeting on April 10th. In addition, Captain Gordon will have a dedicated Lieutenant from the third precinct at the CAC Meeting on April 17th at 6:30pm at the Williams Farm Recreation Center to share important precinct updates, fostering our commitment to community engagement and collaboration. Following similar issues in previous years, we have increased signage, added surveillance cameras, added speed bumps, and upped staffing in the parking lot and beach area in line with the daylight changes. We will continue to keep the lines of communication open with the community in hopes of improving the situation.
Mr. Murphy, your leadership, and commitment to the community make a real difference and we appreciate your partnership in keeping Ocean Park, and the Shore Drive community at large, a great place to live and visit.
Please don’t hesitate to share any additional insights and we will keep you updated on our efforts moving forward.
Sincerely,
R.J. Mattes MPA, CBO
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
Assistant to the City Manager – Special Projects|ADA Coordinator
Ocean Park Civic League 
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