Rick Miller

Rick was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in Sept of 1933; then moved to Creston, Iowa where he attended school until 1948. In 1948 he moved to San Diego with his sister. He attended San Diego High until 1950 when he quit school to join the Navy. He served in the Navy until 1954. Rick was an Airdale Aviation Metal Smith and spent two years on the USS Essex and did two tours of duty in Korea. Rick’s last two years in the service were with the Military Air Transport Service at Moffett Field, in Sunnyvale, CA.

Rick’s law enforcement career started when he joined the Monterey Park PD in 1957. He worked Patrol, FTO, CSI, F unit and rode motors. The low point of Rick’s career was when his motor partner, George Elder, was shot to death by an armed robbery suspect.

Rick first married in 1954, and had two sons Martin and Fred; he divorced in 1959. Rick married Loeta in 1964. She was a widow with two sons, James and Robert. Robert just retired from LAPD as a Sgt. His full name is Robert George Dietz. Those of you who worked at LAPD and went through their academy will know of him. Robert was a defensive tactics instructor at the LAPD academy for about 9 or 10 years and then became a Sgt. of the gang details in LA for some years. Loeta and Rick had a daughter of their own, Lara.

Rick joined the NBPD in 1966. He attended the LAPD academy. In 1968 he was selected as Officer of the Year. Rich Hamilton was selected Supervisor of the Year. The then Governor, Ronald Regan, came to Newport to honor Rick and Rich and present them with their awards. Rick made Sgt. in 1969. As a patrolman Rick worked patrol and was an FTO. As a Sgt. Rick worked patrol, traffic, watch commander and helicopter pilot supervisor. Rick once escaped serious injury when his helicopter crashed at 68th and the beach.

Rick had a colorful career and was once recognized on the Johnny Carson show for saving and then citing a local guy that used to sleep in the gas station at 32nd and Newport. Rick had warned him several times about sleeping in the station but one night Rick observed a fire inside the closed station. Rick entered the burning station and pulled the guy out undoubtedly saving his life. Rick then cited him for sleeping in the building therefore getting the headlines, “SITED, SAVED and CITED.”

Rick doesn’t deny a couple of the following incidents so they must be true. On one occasion he and a reserve were working plain clothes when Rick saw a transient blocking the sidewalk on the Lido Bridge. Having grown tired of telling the transient about blocking the sidewalk, he decided to try another tack. Rick and Chris Karamanis approached him and each took an arm and threw him off the bridge into the channel. As the guy was falling toward the water he yelled, “I can’t swim.” Fortunately a guy in a boat threw him a life ring and pulled him into his boat. Rick and Chris went on there merry way.

On another occasion, which was confirmed by several officers, Sgt. Rick responded to a loud party on Seashore. Rick entered the house to find an American Flag pinned upside down on the wall and it had been desecrated by dog feces. There was a dog in the house. The drunken occupant spit on Rick so Rick called for a humane truck to come to the house. When the humane truck arrived, Rick put the suspect in the humane truck cage and the dog in his unit and transported both of them to the station.

Rick loves flying and has his Rotor Craft, Instrument and Commercial ratings. Rick also loves the sea and just recently purchased a 35 foot Sea Ray boat. He also has all of the Post certificates Basic to Executive. He has been published twice in the Peace Officers Assoc. Law Journal. Rick also has a JD from American College of Law.

Rick retired in 1981 and tried his hand at cattle ranching. He owned two cattle ranches in OR. In 1997 Rick sold the cattle ranch and returned to CA. Rick and Loeta live in Norco.

Rick and Loeta have a combined total of 16 grand kids and 6 great grand kids.

Rick Miller, as told to Stan Bressler