Who is Richard Rivera? Cop killer in Andrew Cuomo's NYPD reform program triggers outrage: 'Ultimate disrespect'
NYPD cop and father-of-two Robert Walsh was enjoying a drink at a Queens bar after his shift in January 1981 when his life came to a tragic end. The 36-year-old, with 12 years in the force and 20 awards to his credit, was dressed in his cowboy hat and accompanied by his colleague when Richard Rivera, a young boy of 16, killed him in what was described as an "execution-style killing". Rivera went to prison for almost four decades, but is now working on an Andrew Cuomo launched state-mandated police reform program after his release in 2019.
Titled 'Reimagining Public Safety Collaborative', the unit was set up in the wake of George Floyd's death by officer Derek Chauvin in 2020. As part of the program, the New York governor ordered municipalities to submit their plans for reform by the beginning of April; during the announcement, he also revealed that those failing to provide reform plans would lose "a significant amount" of state money.
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Who is Richard Rivera?
Convicted of Walsh's murder, Rivera spent 38 years behind bars. Denied parole in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018, Rivera was finally released from prison two years ago and is currently a sitting member on an advisory group for Ithaca and Tompkins County in upstate New York, as part of the Cuomo-mandated program.
Speaking about his involvement in the project, 56-year-old Rivera told The New York Post "I know people are going to be critical. I don't know if [Walsh's] family would find this acceptable. I can't control that. What I can control is the way I've been living my life. I'm holding the memory of Officer Walsh to the highest standard of policing in terms of a protector to the community, somebody who cares for the community."
The killing of Robert Walsh
On the fateful night he killed Walsh in January 1981, Rivera had walked into the BVD Bar and Grill in Maspeth, with four others, shortly after midnight, to rob the place. Walsh announced himself as a cop, going straight for his gun to stop the crime. Rivera, armed, fired first and shot him in the shoulder.
Walsh fell to the ground, and while he lay there, Rivera walked over to him and fired again, this time at the officer's head. William J. Devine, first deputy police commissioner in 1981, said, "It was an execution. The officer no longer was a threat to the men. He was given a death sentence for being a police officer."
Richard Rivera's arrest
The killer was arrested two days later, along with two other accomplices involved in the crime. Hearing of his inclusion in the board for reform, one of Walsh's sons, Robert Walsh Jr, told the outlet: "We're completely shocked that the man who murdered my father is being trusted to create police reforms." The 47-year-old added, "My father dedicated his life to serving and protecting New Yorkers. He should be the one serving on a panel to help reimagine policing, but he'll never get that chance."
President of the Police Benevolent Association, Pat Lynch, also condemned the decision, telling The Post: "It's outrageous and despicable. Not only did this cop-killer get paroled, but now he gets a seat at the table to help dismantle a police department. Did anybody expect him to be fair and open-minded in his review? The entire process has trampled on the ideals that police officers like Robert Walsh upheld. It's the ultimate disrespect to his service and sacrifice."
Life after prison
Rivera has stayed busy since his release in 2019. He has worked with a homeless charity, providing food and shelter to those in need, and claims he found his calling for social work while in prison. Rivera was a member of the Inmate Grievance Review Committee whiles he served time. The group is a mediator for all disputes between inmates and correctional staff.
The Appeal also credits him as a co founder of the Prisoners AIDS Counseling and Education Program, and notes his help establishing the Hispanic Inmate Needs Task Force and a program called Fifty PLUS, which caters to older inmates. "I feel that I'm living my life in a way that I feel is for the betterment of the people around me," he said. "I live my life in a way that honors and respects [Officer Walsh's] memory, advocating for people who can't advocate for themselves."