Richardson was tapped in March to lead the sheriff’s office’s group home initiative, a program aimed at addressing the growing number of calls for service to law enforcement by group homes in the township.
“When a kid gets placed in a group home, they’re taken from their family, split up and they’re in crisis,” he said. “They’re in a place they don’t know, with kids they don’t know, so there’s going to be that initial stun when the kids act out or try to run away, which is when these calls happen, so the goal is to get in there and settle with them.”
Richardson said his role in the effort is to simply show up and be a reliable figure and role model the kids can lean on.
While visiting the group homes on a regular basis, multiple times each week, Richardson interacts with the kids, provides conflict resolution and offers one-on-one conversations.
His work shows the kids he is reliable and someone they can count on aside from group home staff, when family may not be available.
“That’s the big thing with the kids; it’s hard to build that trust and once you do, it’s really easy to lose it because a lot of these kids don’t have their family or anything like that, so they already don’t trust people,” Richardson said.
The group home program is a partnership between MCSO and Harrison Twp.
The goal, according to township spokesman Nathan Edwards, is “to reduce conflict and build trust through mentorship and support.”
“Harrison Twp. has seen a high concentration of juvenile group homes, many housing youth who’ve experienced severe trauma, including abuse, neglect and parental substance use. Some of these teens become involved in criminal activity, leading to frequent law enforcement interactions,” said Edwards, who nominated Richardson for the Dayton Daily News Community Gem Award.
Two of the township’s group homes generated more than 500 service calls in 2024, mostly for runaways, fights and unruly behavior, according to Edwards.
After 84 calls in January and February prior to the program’s start, service calls dropped to just three in March and two in April, Edwards said.
“Initially met with fear and skepticism, Dep. Richardson steadily earned (the kids’) trust through consistent presence, empathy and genuine interest in their lives,” Edwards said. “... Youth who once avoided law enforcement now welcome Dep. Richardson, eager to share their day.”
The decreased service call volume has taken some stress off the department as a whole. As Richardson works closely with the group homes, attending to the few calls that do come in, other officers are available for quick response to other reports.
“This initiative is transforming lives—reducing strain on law enforcement, improving behavior and fostering lasting trust between deputies and vulnerable youth in our community," Edwards said.
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