Inglewood cop teaches by example
Sarah Moore | 4-22-2010 | Comments |
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As the Inglewood Police Department brings in new officers to help shore up its police force, one old-timer on the force is teaching by example, sharing both the high points and the low in a career that spans three decades and includes multiple shootings, two medals of valor, five lawsuits, and one controversial videotape. “I pretty much teach them by using my experience, my good examples, and my mistakes,” said Sgt. Robert Richmond, 52, who joined the Inglewood Police Department in 1981.
Richmond has served Inglewood as an officer, sergeant, motorcycle officer, and sergeant-at-arms at city council meetings. He also served Manhattan Beach from 1994 to 2005 as an officer and sergeant.
“Bob’s had an extraordinary career,” said Mike McBride, 50, a retired Lieutenant who was Richmond’s training officer, roommate and best friend.
Richmond started his career after attending a military high school and studying criminal justice at California State University, Long Beach. When Richmond joined the force, “he had all the qualifications of a good officer," McBride said. “He was a good person, and he had character and integrity.”
Richmond recalled the challenges he faced in Inglewood when he joined the force.
“This was at a time when gang activity was peaking, there was a lot of PCP and cocaine,” he said. “Either you were chasing someone or rolling code three. Something happened every night.”
It didn’t take long for danger to find Richmond. Early one morning in 1984, Richmond and Sgt. Bob Ausmus arrived at a burning apartment complex on 102nd Street.
“There was somebody hanging from the balcony of the third story, trying to get down to the second story,” Richmond said. “There was floor–to-ceiling black smoke. It was like something you see in the movies.”
He followed Ausmus into the building.
“I didn’t even think about it because I heard people screaming inside” Richmond said.
Together they pulled people to safety. Both men received medals of valor for their efforts.
“You kind of feel like, wow, they appreciate me,” said Richmond, who is now retired and who worked on the Inglewood police force for nearly 20 years. “It makes you feel rewarded and like people care what you do.”
Ausmus continues to keep tabs on Richmond and the police force. At the time of the fire, Ausmus’ wife was pregnant with the couple’s son, who is now 25 and works with Richmond as a police officer.
Seven years later – in 1991 -- Richmond received his second medal. One morning, on his way to work, he received a report of a man at an apartment building threatening a woman with a gun. When Richmond arrived, the man shot at him, so he fired back. At some point during the shootout, Richmond was shot in the foot.
“This guy said he was going to kill his ex-girlfriend and then have the police kill him,” Richmond said. “I saved her life.”
But in subsequent years Richmond’s job performance took a rocky turn. Tensions in the wake of the Rodney King trial and subsequent street violence were running high and he was sued five times in federal court by residents who complained of violation of civil rights and excessive force.
In 1994, Channel 11 broadcast a videotape that showed Richmond hitting a suspect. No official action was taken, but the tape fueled an argument between Richmond and the Inglewood chief of police and Richmond left Inglewood for Manhattan Beach, where he worked as a police officer until 2005.
Despite the lawsuits, the videotape and the differences with Inglewood’s top brass, Richmond’s friends insist he is a top-tier law enforcement officer who operates in the best interest of the community.
“Bobby’s got a lot of integrity,” Ausmus said. “If they say he punched a guy on the ground, he did it for a good reason.”
McBride agreed. “What I can tell you about Bob, after knowing him 30 years, is that he’s not the type of person that goes around using his authority to take advantage of people,” said McBride.
Richmond said he enjoyed the atmosphere of Manhattan Beach.
“People wave at you with all five fingers,” Richmond said. “Normally, people just waved at me with one.” But he missed Inglewood, and in 2005, under a new police chief, he returned.
It was around that time that the Inglewood Police Department came under intense scrutiny.
“There were four officer-involved shootings within two months, and the U.S. Department of Justice came in with the FBI to investigate,” said Richmond. He was not involved in any of the incidents being investigated.
These days Richmond says he is focused on presenting the department in a more positive light. In addition to patrolling the neighborhoods of Inglewood he provides security as sergeant-at-arms at the weekly meetings of the Inglewood City Council.
“Even some of these people who are really vocal against police say they like me,” he said. “It gives me a good feeling of satisfaction to represent the good side of the department to the public.”
The security work has an added benefit – it provides him with comp time so he can attend his son’s baseball games.
Richmond’s nearly three decades of police work are a treasure trove for new recruits, McBride said.
“One of the things law enforcement really lacks is experience, and Bobby has a lot of experience under his belt,” McBride said. “He’s got common sense, a lot of experience, and integrity, and when someone like that steps into an environment where a lot of young people are learning their job, it’s great.”
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