Dick Ellingham

February, 2010 Dick was born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1946. His father was a Full Bird Colonel in the Army so his first 5 years were spent moving around the states. In 52 Dick and his mother moved in with his grandparents in Trenton while his dad was serving in Korea. Dick graduated from Edgewood Regional High in New Jersey. He had been involved in sports and received a full scholarship at Miami of Ohio.

He was also in the ROTC program. Dick said he was quite a partier– blew his full scholarship and had to leave school. In 1966 he was involved in a motorcycle accident that messed up his shoulder so bad that he was honorably discharged from his military obligation. After he healed he and a couple friends jumped on motorcycles and headed out, first stopping in Florida and then deciding to go to California. Dick said he got a job at the Richfield gas station at 17th and Irvine. While he was working there he met Motor Officer John Heene who talked him into testing at Newport. He thought it would be fun to ride a motorcycle and also have a positive affect on young people. Dick had a little problem that needed taking care of before he tested. Seems he had a couple of outstanding traffic tickets back in Jersey. He sent a letter to a judge he knew and the tickets got dismissed. Next was the hard part, cutting his hair–seems it was kind of long. After that it was easy. He was hired in 68 and went to LA Academy with Pat O’Sullivan and Doug Webster. He graduated in the top 10 and started working. His first arrest was a 647f at Riverside and Coast Hwy. He remembers spending some of his training with Scotty McGregor and remembers dispatchers Ray McCabe and Ray Sorenson. Dick first worked patrol, and in 70 became a helicopter observer. He didn’t like that and only spent a couple months before going to AI and then on to motors. Dick took Stan’s spot on motors and inherited Stan’s dreaded Moto Guzzi. Seems Dick hated it as much as Stan did and when the Moto Guzzis didn’t work out, he finally got to ride a Harley. His partners were Mike Blitch, Hurd Armstrong, TB Smith and Don Follett. One evening in November of 70, Dick was on his way back to the station after working a dance at Corona del Mar. He started following a DUI and since he was in a plain car he called for a unit to make a stop. He followed the driver into the Dunes trailer park and when the driver got out Dick got his license and then handed it to Jim Gardiner who had followed him up. Without warning the suspect pulled a 25 auto out of his pocket and shot Jim in the stomach and then shot Dick in the hip. Jim went down and Dick jumped on the suspect as he was trying to shoot again but the gun jammed. After wrestling the suspect to the ground Dick disarmed him. Larry Gabriel pulled up in a unit and Dick told him to get Jim to Hoag. The quick response by Dick and Larry saved Jim’s life. As a result of his actions Dick received the Police Department’s first Award of Valor. The suspect posted bail, fled to England and never returned. In 1971 Patty Armstrong set Dick up with a blind date (Judi) for the Christmas party. Judi and Dick were married in 1972. Dick got a new Harley in 72 and in 73 he totaled it in a T/C. He stayed on Motors for a short time and then decided to move to Oregon and work for Judi’s dad in the logging business. He left the logging business after a few months and went to work driving a truck. Dick applied to the Corvallis PD and was hired. He had to attend the Oregon Police Academy where his classmates referred to him as the “old man.” He returned to the logging business when his father-in-law retired and the other owners asked him to become a partner in the company. Dick eventually became a part owner of the business and retired in 08. Dick and Judi have two married daughters, one in San Diego and one in Oregon. Judi and Dick have purchased a home in Yuma Arizona. They spend summers touring in their Class A motor home, and winters in Yuma. He enjoys driving his 50th anniversary Corvette. One of Dick’s memories was following up Jim Jacobs on a 459 call at Dover and SR1. Jake went into the medical building to check it out and as he was walking down a dark hall when a cat jumped out causing Jake to accidently discharge his revolver. Seems Jake was carrying his gun across the front of his body and the discharge caused powder burns across his fly. Dick said when he found Jake’s face was as white as a sheet. The cat was never seen again. Interviewed by Stan Bressler