December Fatz
Café/The Carolina Scoop Officer of the
Month
Richard
Taylor
Lincolnton
Police officer Richard Taylor holds the
December Fatz Cafe/The Carolina Scoop
Police Officer of the Month award. Photo
by Elizabeth Mayhew/TCS
“It’s
Not His First Rodeo”
By Jon Mayhew [LINCOLNTON]
– He’s one of the youngest
officers in the Lincolnton Police
Department, and yet Richard Taylor –
December’s Fatz Café/The Carolina
Scoop Officer of the Month – handles
each and every situation with the calm,
collected demeanor of a seasoned pro.
For the past two years, Taylor has worked
for the Lincolnton Police Department.
Prior to arriving in Lincolnton, the
33-year-old Taylor served his country in
the Air Force for five years and actually
“cut his teeth” as a rookie law
enforcement officer with the Lincoln
County Sheriff’s Office.
“I graduated
from Basic Law Enforcement Training
(BLET) in 1995 from Gaston College,”
said Taylor. “I started at the LCSO
as a reserve officer in May of
1997.”
Taylor, who was promoted to a full-time
deputy in September 1997, worked closely
in the Baker (central) district with Lee
Caskey and was partnered with now 1st
Sgt. Erin Long for nearly three years.
“We worked well together,” said
Taylor. “She was a heck of a deputy
sheriff because she was always dependable
to have in any type of situation that we
got into. We also complimented each
other’s skills.”
Taylor said he also remembers working
under the late Lt. Tom Taylor. (Richard
is no relation).
“Tom was a great officer and a great
person,” said Taylor. “He was
fun to be around. We used to pick on him
because he wasn’t from around here.
He always took care of his officers and
made a point to speak to us
face-to-face.”
Officer
Richard Taylor prepares to leave for his
shift.
Taylor, however, felt
he was being called in a different
direction. At the age of 25, Taylor went
into the Air Force, working with security
forces in several places.
“I was in the continental U.S.,
Europe, and the middle east including
Afghanistan and Kuwait,” said
Taylor, who served in the military for
six years. “I did everything from
basic law enforcement to customs to
nuclear weapons security.”
After the military, Taylor said he took a
sabbatical, taking time to visit family
and friends and rest.
“I then started looking for my next
job,” said Taylor.
He didn’t have to look too far.
Taylor learned that Lincolnton Police
chief Dean Abernathy had several
positions open within the force. Jason
Hutchinson, who now works for the Lincoln
County Sheriff’s Office, was
Taylor’s field training officer.
“I’m very thankful for the
opportunity to work for the City of
Lincolnton, which is my hometown,”
said Taylor. “Sometimes, it’s
helpful being a hometown guy because you
know the people and places.”
Several of Taylor’s colleagues have
nicknamed him “rodeo.”
“They would ask me about my
experience,” said Taylor. “I
would tell them that ‘this
isn’t my first rodeo.’”
Taylor said he likes working on the
nightshift. These days, Taylor works
alongside officers Mark Sain and Dan
Renn, Sgt. Jeremy Wilson and Lt. Kenny
Shrum.
“The people I work with foster the
team concept,” said Taylor, adding
the secret to being a successful police
officer lies in communicating with
people. “It’s remembering
everyone I deal with is still a person.
Their choices may be wrong, but
they’re still people.”
Surprisingly, as Taylor was growing up,
he didn’t have an interest in being
a law enforcement officer. However, it
was talking with Richard’s dad and
riding along with officers that fostered
the interest in protecting and serving
the citizens of Lincolnton.
Taylor credits his dad, Dan, for getting
him in law enforcement.
“I told dad that I felt the need to
serve my country,” said Taylor,
“and dad replied by saying why
don’t I serve my community.”
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