Retiring Berwick chief honored for service

James Richard is nearing retirement as police chief, but he isn’t leaving public service.

Mayor Louis Ratcliff presented Richard with Berwick’s “Beacon Shines On” award during Tuesday’s town council meeting.

Richard, who turns 54 on Nov. 29, will retire as police chief at the end of the year having served 14 years in that capacity. However, he will start a new role in the New Year when he becomes a Berwick councilman after being elected last week.

He began working in law enforcement in St. Mary Parish in 1984 and joined the Berwick Police Department in July 1987 as a patrolman.

“I never had a day that I didn’t want to come to work,” Richard said. “I’ve had a wonderful time here.”

Richard grew up in Bayou Vista but graduated from Berwick High School in 1982.

“I never dreamed that I would be the chief of police in the community that I went to school in,” he said.

Berwick is the “best community to work for” because the people “love law enforcement,” he said.

He learned a lot working under former Berwick police chiefs Duval Arthur and Ovay Rogers, whom Richard called “two special people in my life.”

Arthur, a current Berwick councilman, was elected mayor of Berwick last week and will take office in January.

Arthur plans to appoint Assistant Chief David Leonard as the new chief when Arthur takes office as mayor. Arthur said he’s confident that Leonard is the right person for the job and will do well in that position.

Leonard has worked for the Berwick Police Department for 31 years and said he has a “good foundation” working under great leadership.

Richard has served as police chief during Ratcliff’s entire three terms as mayor. Richard was also a Berwick officer while former mayors Emmett Hardaway and the late Everett Berry were in office and thanked all three mayors for their help over the years.

Richard was promoted to assistant chief in 1998 and stayed in that position until his appointment as police chief in August 2004. He’s also chairman of the Berwick Housing Authority and member of the Berwick Planning and Zoning Commission, the St. Mary Parish 911 Board and the Fairview Treatment Center Board.