Vincent Richardson, a 14 year old boy hero impersonates a police officer
January 25, 2009 by A.B. Dada
Filed under Chicago Crime
First we had the Michael Ciancio story, then we had another corrupt cop story about William Cozzi. In today’s Chicago Crime news, an amazing story hit the airwaves that is almost too good to be true: a 14 year old boy walks into a police station, gets partnered up with another cop, and ends up serving on duty for a 5 hour shift. He isn’t caught until his shift is over.
The boy, identified by his mother as Vincent Richardson, is currently in juvenile custody. He should be on a throne held up high about the heads of the Chicago Police Department as a hero, safely proving that their own ranks have too little security and are completely lacking in even protecting their own.
According to multiple news stations and a police comment by Chicago Police Assistant Superintendent James Jackson, Richardson, 14, was a previous member of the Young Explorer Program which is part of Chicago’s CAPS program. Young Explorers become intimately knowledgable of many police procedures, with many of them having dreams of being cops when they’re older. Chicago police said that Richard was “eager to be a police officer” when he was older. His mother, Veronica Brock, confirmed that he’s wanted to be an officer since the age of 5.
On January 24, 2008, Richardson reported for duty at the 3rd District police department. He was dressed in a full authorized Chicago Police uniform, but without the Chicago Police Department star. He was not armed. He was partnered up with a female officer, who the CPD has not named, and placed on traffic duty. According to Chicago Police, the senior officer was in charge of the vehicle at all times, and Richardson had no contact with the public. His mother disagrees, saying that her son told her that he did interact with the public.
The pair returned to the station 5 hours later after finishing their traffic duty. A sergeant inquired to Richardson about the lack of his CPD star. Richardson was unable to answer, and according to police started to make up stories. It was at this point that he admitted he was impersonating an officer, at which point he was arrested.
“He basically said he did it because he was bored,” said his mother. Brock said that her son has impersonated an officer in the past, and was never prosecuted. She mentioned that Vincent said he bought the uniform at a uniform shop. She seemed uncertain as to how professional officers did not notice the discrepancies of having a 14 year old serve for duty.
“The height and weight was pretty much proportionate,” said Deputy Superintendent Dan Dugan. ”A photograph of the individual, in my opinion, he looks older than his 14 years. Keep in mind, [he was] in the uniform, because as Sergeant Jackson stated, he was familiar with the procedures as being an Explorer.”
Another discrepancy overlooked is the fact that the Chicago Police are required to conduct a roll call before a shift is dispersed. During the roll call, the watch commander has a responsibility to confirm the completeness of every officer’s uniform. It appears that this roll call was skipped, and the Chicago Police are investigating it.
Here’s my take on it: if professional officers have no idea that a 14 year old in a store-bought uniform can fake his way into traffic duty with another officer, how are we to know who the real police are and who they aren’t? I’m a firm believer that it should be against the law for officers to dress undercover or in unmarked cars. If I, as a taxpaying citizen, can not find an officer when I need one, they’re not doing their duty to serve and protect. All officers on duty should be fully dressed and driving marked and colorful police cars. On top of that, their uniforms should be standardized and checked so that citizens won’t be duped or have their lives put in danger by actual criminals who impersonate the police for illegal purposes.
Vincent Richardson should be released with no charges. He made an excellent example of yet another failure of the Chicago Police Department. For a large city with its fair share of criminal problems, we must hold our force fully accountable for their policies, and make sure they’re performed for the safety of the citizens who are paying for the high cost of the service they’re supposedly providing.
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ALL I WANT TO KNOW DID HE GET PAID FOR HIS TIME ON THE JOB.AT LEAST HE SHOWED UP FOR WORK.
“I’m a firm believer that it should be against the law for officers to dress undercover or in unmarked cars. If I, as a taxpaying citizen, can not find an officer when I need one, they’re not doing their duty to serve and protect. All officers on duty should be fully dressed and driving marked and colorful police cars. On top of that, their uniforms should be standardized and checked so that citizens won’t be duped or have their lives put in danger by actual criminals who impersonate the police for illegal purposes.”
I’m a firm believer that all criminals and gang members should be issued uniforms so the police and public can easily identify them. Also, they should be required to hold big signs that lists what drugs, guns or other weapons they are carrying on their person so that the police aren’t surprised and the public will know to stay away from them. Their vehicles should carry large identifying numbers that are registered to them so the police and public can find the owner when the car is used in a robbery or drive-by. I, as a tax paying citizen want to be able to tell who the bad guys are. I, as a taxpaying citizen, want the police empowered to do their jobs and not sued for everything they do right or wrong. I, as a tax paying citizen, think the ACLU should be disbanded for all the damage they’ve done to this country and the tort law system. I, as a taxpaying citizen, want the city of Chicago to stop settling law suits out of court and let them go to trial; stop giving my money away. I, as a taxpaying citizen, should have more rights than a non-taxpaying citizen and criminal, who do nothing for this country.
Police officers, as tax paying citizens, contributors to society, who give all to protect others, should be afforded the same rights as any other citizen in this country such as freedom of speech, right to a fair trial, 6th and 14th amendment protections.
I HOPE CPD PAYS HIM FOR HIS HOURS HE PUT IN FOR WORK.I THINK HE DID A GREAT JOB IN SHOWING HOW SAFE WE REALLY ARE WITH THE LAW.I DONT THINK HE SHOULD BE CHARGE.LET THIS BE A LESSON TO CPD,I BET YOU ALL ARE HANGING YOUR HEAD IN SHAME,WHEN I SEE ONE OF THE CPD OFFERICERS ALL I CAN DO IS LAUGH AND I LAUGH SO HARD I CANNT CATCH MY BREATH.
After being victimized repeatedly by my vicious ex-husband and his family, I complained to the police several times that these convicted drug dealers and murderers and abusers frequently impersonated police officers with other officers joining them to harrass me as they tried to implicate me in phony criminal charges with no reation from the police at CAPS Meetings or in complaints to them.
When citizens file complaints against the police, they scream that they are being lied on and are innocent.
This is part of the reason crime is out of control in this city – you cannot tell the good guys from the bad guys and everybody pays.
The days of “tricking” the criminal with undercover police are over, even the stupidest crook knows to look out for the police, you are correct, the average citizen needs to know who is the police and who is not and the police need to check their procedures and put them to use.
Hey, this is me for the lady who ask i’m going to become a cop still for the chicago police