[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 132 (Wednesday, November 17, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2011]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING OAKLAND POLICE CHIEF RICHARD L. WORD

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 17, 2004

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the contributions of 
Chief Richard L. Word of the Oakland Police Department in Oakland, 
California. After more than two decades of dedicated service, Chief 
Word will be leaving the Oakland area, and I would like to take this 
opportunity to recognize his contributions not only to the Police 
Department, but to the community as a whole.
  Born and reared in San Francisco's Ingleside District, Chief Word 
graduated from Riordan High School in 1980. Following his time at 
Riordan, where he excelled academically and was a valued leader in the 
campus' Black Student Union, Chief Word attended San Francisco State 
University as well as the University of San Francisco. He then devoted 
two years to the San Francisco Sheriff's Department as a cadet and 
subsequently entered the Oakland Police Academy, where he would go on 
to become the valedictorian of the 1984 recruiting class.
  Following his graduation, Chief Word rose quickly through the ranks 
of Sergeant and Lieutenant before being promoted to Captain in 1997 and 
was later sworn in as Oakland's Chief of Police on July 2, 1999. As the 
Chief of Police for the past five years, Chief Word has been a 
distinguished leader in many ways. Not only was he the youngest Chief 
in the Oakland Police Department's history, but his selection was also 
one of the first steps taken by Mayor Jerry Brown as part of his plan 
to dramatically reduce crime rates in the City of Oakland. In working 
to reach this goal, Chief Word employed a number of methods and 
strategies, such as strengthening the Department's Crime Analysis 
Section, assigning more officers to the field, and building closer ties 
to Oakland's neighborhoods through community policing, the use of joint 
problem-solving programs by community policing officers and 
neighborhood residents, and the establishment of the Youth Citizens 
Police Academy, which is comprised of youth from all of Oakland's high 
schools.
  In addition to his work within the Police Department, Chief Word is 
involved with a number of community and professional organizations. He 
sits on the Board of Directors of the Oakland Chapter of the American 
Red Cross, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Oakland, and the California 
Police Chiefs Association. He also serves as Vice President of the 
Alameda County Police Chiefs' and Sheriffs' Association, and is a 
member of both the International Association of Chiefs of Police and 
the National Black Forum of Black Public Administrators. In addition to 
his accomplishments within the police force, Chief Word also earned a 
bachelor's degree in business administration from John F. Kennedy 
University, from which he graduated cum laude, and a master's degree in 
public administration from Golden Gate University. Furthermore, he 
completed the FBI National Academy, and recently graduated from the FBI 
National Executive Institute.
  On November 12, 2004, Chief Word will be honored in Oakland, 
California for twenty years of outstanding service to the Oakland 
Police Department and the City of Oakland. This occasion is an 
opportunity for us to recognize him not only for his service within the 
Police Department, but also for his outstanding leadership on the 
issues of crime prevention and the development of community 
partnerships between law enforcement officers and neighborhood 
residents. By remaining active in and dedicated to these vital areas, 
Chief Word has contributed enormously to the City of Oakland and 
California's 9th Congressional District. I salute and congratulate 
Chief Word for his many years of invaluable service.

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