LAKEWOOD — Nearly 30 years ago, a tall, gregarious Lakewood police officer created a bond he wouldn’t fully understand until now.
All of those years ago, Officer Tom Richey led a D.A.R.E. program at Belmar Elementary in Lakewood. Sitting in his class was a young David Ford who went on to be a police officer himself in Littleton.
“Tom has always been here in my mind. Always been that inspiration,” Ford said, waiting in a restaurant to meet up with the retired cop for the first time in decades.
Ford says Richey was the closest thing to a father figure he ever had. His mom raised him by herself. So, he looked up to Ford, admiring the shiny badge and shoes. He always wanted to thank him for giving him the passion to pursue law enforcement. He just never had a way to get a hold of him.
9NEWS recently ran a story about Ford receiving a community award. In the story, he credited Richey and put a call out to connect them. Sure enough, a viewer did just that. Richey now lives in Michigan but visits family in Colorado regularly.
“I remember when I was little, he was tall. He was really tall!” Ford said, waiting in the lobby of the restaurant. At that moment, filling the doorway, Richey walked in. “Hi David! I recognize you for sure! How are you doing?” Richey said while hugging the man now serving the community because of him.
The two sat down with Richey's old cop friend and daughter. They talked shop, about the many changes and the remaining similarities. Then Ford starts explaining the many hats he wears at the police department and the Shop with a Cop program he started. That's the program that earned him an award.
“So even if it's just something to change the view of a child, their view of a police officer, that's what the program is there for,” he told Richey.
“You have ambition that exceeds anything I had. I am impressed,” Richey said.
In those moments it became clear that Richey’s service didn’t end at retirement. Ford provided that clarity by giving a simply, heartfelt, "thanks.”
“If I can change just one person's life than my job was done,” said Ford, still hoping to someday be like Richey, who wouldn’t have known the impact if the boy who once stared up from those shiny black shoes never reached out.
“What a neat thing to experience. See you as an adult. Participating in life. Married. Children. And a career,” Richey said. “You’re a neat man. It’s a pleasure to see you.”