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Richland has a unique history. For many years Richland was a small farming village. In 1942 the federal government saw Richland's remote location, abundant water supply and mild weather as the right combination it needed for a portion of its Manhattan Project. Modern day Richland was born. Almost overnight the village of 247 people developed into a federally owned town of 11,000 residents. Thousands of workers from across the nation converged on the Hanford area to construct facilities where plutonium for the world's first nuclear weapons would be created.
The federal government contracted with DuPont to build nuclear reactors in the desert north of Richland. Eight reactors were built on the Hanford reservation. Plutonium from the Hanford reactors was used in the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan which helped end the war. After the war General Electric took over the government contract for plutonium production that continued at Hanford.
Richland became a government town where Hanford scientists and workers lived. A security clearance was required to live in Richland. If a person lost their job they left town. There was no crime in the government-controlled town.
In 1958 Richland was incorporated as a chartered First-Class City governed by self-rule. As an independent city Richland continued to rely on the Hanford project. The city's population continued to climb as Hanford transitioned into weapons production during the Cold War years. In later years there were large population fluctuations based upon the Hanford work force build up or reductions. Many Richland residents are now employed at the Hanford site in its environmental cleanup mission.
The law enforcement function was originally provided by a security force operated by the federal contractors. Crime was not an issue because it was a government controlled town requiring security clearances. Most of the work was devoted to security measures and service calls to the residents.
Richland's first police chief, Robert C. Marshall, was hired in 1959 after the city incorporated. The police uniform was tan in color. Police cars were white and tan with a red spotlight as the emergency light. Cars did not have air conditioning or AM radios. Officers were dispatched to calls via a call box. Detectives held the rank of sergeant. Officers were rotated to "E" Squad where they were assigned to check closed businesses by rattling door knobs. Chief Marshall retired in 1970.
David E. Walsh came from California to serve as Richland's next chief, from 1970 to 1974. He implemented the dark blue police uniform and designed a new badge and shoulder patch that is still worn by the department today. Overhead emergency lights were put on the patrol cars and large, portable radios were installed. Chief Walsh reorganized the department. Officers were assigned as detectives and a community relations section was formed, placing officers in schools to teach law enforcement-related classes. A junior cadet program was established allowing youths aged 14 to 18 to receive law enforcement training and volunteer their time. A senior cadet program was established as a part-time paid position for students attending Columbia Basin College's criminal justice program.
The next chief, Ronald F. Goad, a motorcycle traffic sergeant from the Seattle Police Department, served from 1975 to 1977. He established the department's first policy and procedures manual. Police officers used to serve as dispatchers for the police and fire department and telephone switchboard operator for city hall calls during non-business hours as well as handle walk-in customers. Chief Goad hired civilian dispatchers to handle these duties as well as serve as a booking officer.
Bernard A. Colligan came from Nebraska to serve as the next chief, from 1978 to 1984. During his tenure he established a K-9 unit, a motorcycle traffic unit, an an off-road vehicle officer assignment and a SWAT team. Years later the SWAT team evolved into a regional SWAT team serving Benton County.
David L. Lewis came up through the ranks of the Richland Police Department to serve as chief from 1984 to 1999. Chief Lewis implemented the D.A.R.E. program and worked to have the department become officially accredited through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. He also implemented community oriented policing (COP) programs and established the Citizen Advisory Board. Richland residents passed a $3.3 million bond for a new police station in November 1999. Police moved from their original location in Richland City Hall to the new building in 2001.
Another officer who came up through the ranks of the Richland Police Department, Randy Carper, served as chief from 1999 to 2001.
In 2001 Tony Corsi came from Colorado to serve as the department's current police chief. He conducted a personnel allocation study to establish a bench mark on the number of officers needed to deliver a proper level of service. The Richland City Council added five new positons in 2005 and three more in 2007, raising the staffing level to 58 commissioned officers. Chief Corsi revised the mission statement and prepared a strategic plan for the future (refer to the Strategic Positioning Document ). The motorcycle traffic unit and D.A.R.E. functions were eliminated while School Resource Officer assignments were created. Core training curriculums were developed for each position in the department and a career development program was created for each officer. Chief Corsi introduced the PARSTAT philosophy of policing. Read more about Chief Corsi in the Message from the Chief section.
Photo Gallery
Richland's security force in the early years.
A 1949 photo of Richland's finest. Some of those pictured include Gil Mumper, Walter Kerr, K.C. Jones, Erwin Haws, Nick Woehle and John Morey.
Early version of Richland's police car.
Members of Richland's security force pose in this undated photo.
Richland's first police "motorcycle," a Cushman Scooter. 
An officer prepares to take aim while target practicing in the desert.
Part of Richland PD's early arsenal included a Thompson machine gun.
Richland PD's police academy class of 1959. Some of those pictured include: Back row; Detective Sgt. L.M. Linkous (left) , H. G. Garrett (second from left), Sgt. W. Kerr (fourth from left), Front row; D.L. Whitehead (third from left), K.C. Jones (fourth from left). Richland hosted its own regional class prior to the formation of the Basic Law Enforcement Academy now conducted by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. The training was conducted in the basement lunch room of city hall, which was built as a bomb shelter. The police department also had their own indoor pistol range in the basement.
Police academy training being provided in the 1960's.
Police officers lead school crossing guards from Richland's schools.
Officer Dave Sparks checks his target at the police range, which was built in the 1960's
Some Richland officers with their photo taken in the front entry way to the police station in the late 1960's. Pictured left to right: Front Row; Dale Brunson, Roger Duchemin, Sgt. George Derrick, Middle Row; Rod Wilmoth, Bob Lyness, Back Row; Ken Badgley, Dave Lewis, Harold Garrett.
From left, Capt. Roger Duchemin, Cpl. Pete Anders, Capt. Ken Taylor and Chief Dave Walsh work on police firearm range improvements in 1970.
Chief Dave Walsh began the Junior Cadet (Explorer) program in 1970. It consisted of junior and senior high school students who volunteered their time with the police department. In the photo above, Cadets deliver a check to an unidentified city representative. Scott Morrell (left) later became a Richland PD officer. Ken Hohenberg (second from left) was later hired by Kennewick PD and now serves as their Chief of Police.
Chief Dave Walsh is surrounded by Senior Cadets Karen Shreve (second from left), Mark Panther (third from left) and Gawain Charles (far right), as well as Officer John Morey, in the early 1970's. Chief Walsh implemented the Senior Cadet program, a part-time paid position with the police department as students attended the Criminal Justice Program at Columbia Basin College. Cadet Shreve later became a WSP Dispatcher, Panther rose through the ranks to the level of Captain at Richland PD before becoming the West Richland Police Chief, and Cadet Charles later became a Kennewick officer.
Sgt. Dave Lewis (far right) conducts a squad briefing in the early 1970's. Also pictured is Cpl. Pete Anders (left) and Officer John Ganley (middle). They wear the new police uniform introduced in 1970. Lewis later became Richland PD's Chief of Police.
Police Officer Kerrie "Sam" Randall enjoys lunch at a local school. She was assigned to the department's Community Relations Division, formed in 1970.
Karen Shreve works as a civilian dispatcher working out of the Richland Police Department in the mid-1970's. In addition to handling emergency and non-emergency police dispatches and telephone calls, dispatchers also handled walk-in customers, non-business hour phone calls for all the city, and booking officer for the city's jail.
An officer patrols the Uptown alley in the early 1970's. Officers were assigned to "E" Squad, a unit specifically designed to rattle door knobs and check businesses to prevent burglaries.
Sgt. Richard Lohdefinck conducts a traffic stop on Swift in front of the Medical Arts buildings in the early 1970's. 
A contingent of Richland PD officers, led by Chief Walsh, arrive in Grant County to help quell a large disturbance at the Sunrise '71 (1971) gathering.
An officer manuevers a patrol car (absent the overhead emergency lights) through an EVOC course. The blue stripe was added to the police car design in the late 1970's.
This photo from a traffic stop depicts the police car design that was revised in the 1980's.
Officers are shown during a break in anti-nuclear protests at John Dam Plaza during the mid-1980's. Pictured left to right are Sgt. Al Wehner, Officers Randy Bricker, Greg Gill, Sgt. Randy Carper, Officers Mike Cobb and Jim Gould.
