The contractor who removed the Confederate monuments worked with the Sherriff's office and private security b/c the Richmond police apparently refused. A thread on the involvement of Richmond police in the *unveiling* of the monuments:
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LEE: The Richmond Dispatch reported that 16 mounted police officers led the parade for the dedication of the Lee monument in 1890 and that "a platoon" of 30 more police followed a bit later.
2/6
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038614/1890-05-30/ed-1/seq-1/

STUART: The Richmond Times Dispatch reported in 1907 that the police led the parade for the unveiling of the JEB Stuart Monument. The path was cleared by police on bicycles, followed by the mounted police.
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https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038615/1907-05-31/ed-1/seq-1/

DAVIS: A few days later, the Richmond Times Dispatch mentioned the presence of the police in controlling the crowds at the dedication of the Jefferson Davis Monument in 1907.
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https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038615/1907-06-04/ed-1/seq-1/

JACKSON: The Richmond Times Dispatch reported in 1919 that the parade to dedicate the Stonewall Jackson Monument was headed by, "a platoon of mounted police."
5/6
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045389/1919-10-11/ed-1/seq-1/

MAURY: I found no mention of the police at the more quiet dedication of Maury's Monument in 1929.

For Lee, Stuart, Davis, & Jackson, the prominent involvement of the police sent a message - just as their apparent lack of involvement did in the removals in 2020.
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