Steve Owens Photo / City of Greer
Sgt. Chad Richardson secures prescriptions dropped off at the City Recycling Center during Amnesty Day last year.
Steve Owens Photo / City of Greer
Walgreens offered to be a dropoff point in 2011 for citizens to drop off unused or outdated prescriptions. Sgt. Chad Richardson worked with the city on the project.
Steve Owens Photo / City of Greer
Sgt. Chad Richardson, with other Greer Police officers, visited Riverside High School last year to educate students on driving while being distracted. The project earned the City of Greer first place in the Municipal Association of South Carolina Achievement Award for Public Safety.
Steve Owens Photo / City of Greer
Sgt. Chad Richardson presents the city's SIDNE project to the Municipal Association of South Carolina in Columbia. The city of Greer won first place for 2012 Achievement Award for Public Safety. The statewide competition is open to all cities and towns. Steve Owens, Communications Director for the city, made the collaterals for Richardson's presentation.
The Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce honored the Greer Police Department’s Community Outreach officer at its annual meeting with the Sud Paget Volunteer of the Year Award. Past honorees are a who’s who of Greer.
“We are so proud of Chad and what he has done for the community,” said Greer Police Chief Dan Reynolds. The chief said it gave the department a lift having one of their own recognized by community leaders.
Allen Smith, Chamber President and CEO said, “When we met to discuss nominees, the first person mentioned was Chad. Around the table they all agreed and he quickly became our choice.”
Richardson met with GreerToday.com at the Stomping Grounds to talk about his passion for Greer and keeping the community safe for all citizens and business – but mostly to steer young people in a positive direction.
GT.com: Your passion for law enforcement is pure but humor plays an important part in your character.
Chad: “I’m serious when I have to be. I think a lot of people take themselves way too seriously. Sure some of the tasks we’re asked to do are not fun. At the end of the day, I love what I do and I can’t envision doing anything else.”
GT.com: What makes your job fun?
Chad: “No matter if you are arresting people or in the community, you have an opportunity to connect with someone. Sometimes people listen, sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other. I love the camaraderie around the police department. It’s a good place to work.
GT.com: Where do your values come from?
Chad: “Certainly my family. I am lucky to come from a good family. I always watched my brothers, sister and my mom and dad. They always worked hard for what they had. My parents were strict. I didn’t understand why until I had kids.”
GT.com: Were you destined to be in law enforcement?
Chad: “I have watched videos from when I was 3-4 years old and talking then about wanting to be a police officer. I always knew police is what I wanted to do. I never thought of anything else.
GT.com: Did your parents try to steer you away from being a policeman?
Chad: “It never crossed my parents’ mind. They said if that’s what I wanted to do, (go) for it. My dad lived in Detroit at a time when the riots were breaking out. He wanted to join the police force and didn’t. I think he always regretted not trying it. I felt like if I didn’t at least try this when I was young, then I couldn’t ever say I regretted not trying.”
GT.com: What are some of your early career highlights/memories?
Chad: “It’s a grueling process just to be hired at a police department. Then you go through Police Academy where you’re stuck in Columbia for 10 weeks. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just part of the process. I think what helped me the most was going to Greenville Tech and having Linda Leventis-Wells as an instructor in their criminal justice program. She tailored that curriculum to people in law enforcement. The next biggest hurdle was learning the ‘Greer Police way’. From there I got to work in the middle schools (School Resource Officer) and that was pretty cool for me. The reason that being in the schools is so important to me is because a lot of the teachers there also taught me as I was coming through. I got to hang with them and know them in a different way. It made me realize I made the right choice.”
GT.com: Is there a distinct anecdote from working in the schools?
Chad: “When I was at the middle school, they were without a softball coach and tryouts were starting. They looked at me and asked if I wouldn’t mind helping out. I got a little ragging from the guys here. But the girls were so much fun to be around. I never batted against the pitchers to show the players how to hit. No way I was getting up there with that smoke, they threw hard. One day I was tossing some pitches to batters and the girl hit a zinger back and it hit me in the kneecap. I couldn’t show those girls how much it hurt. Coaching them was a great experience and I think I appreciate it more now having two boys (laughs).”
GT.com: What was your reaction to winning the Sud Paget Award?
Chad: “I am blown away they would honor me. I told the Chief I am so thankful for this opportunity. I just do my job and what I am supposed to do. I know the Chief was proud. I don’t think there’s a better feeling than walking up to get the award when the Mayor (Rick Danner) grabbed me and gave me a big hug. It makes you feel good that they are glad. Of all the things I don’t take lightly is being held up as an example. I think about that a lot when I’m out in the public.”