Police Chief Retires After 3 + Years in Piedmont
Police Chief Rikki Goede to Retire on November 11th
Chief Goede’s changes to the Piedmont Police Department have included a visible presence of police vehicles, installation of License Plate Readers at selected roadways, and numerous changes to how the Piedmont Police Department functions. Results, as recently reported, are a 37% reduction in crime. Chief Goede will end her almost 4 year service in Piedmont by retiring to Sisters, Oregon with her wife.
Below is the City’s press release.
Piedmont’s Chief of Police, Rikki Goede, has announced that she will retire effective November 11th. Chief Goede’s service in law enforcement began 31 years ago. She started her career as a police officer, then Sergeant with the City of San Diego, where she worked for 10 years. Moving to the San Jose Police Department, she began as an officer and worked her way up to the position of Assistant Chief. Her first day on the job as Piedmont Police Chief was January 22, 2013.
Since Chief Goede’s arrival in Piedmont, she has reshaped the Police Department, bringing a renewed focus on proactivity to the department. She also focused on enhancing the technology used by the Department, including automated license plate readers and body worn cameras for all officers. Over her years as Chief, Piedmont’s crime rate has dropped by 37%. Chief Goede credits this to the hard work of Piedmont Police Officers and the willingness of the community to embrace and support new technology.
“Chief Goede’s tenure in Piedmont has been a tremendous success,” declared Acting Mayor Jeff Wieler. “All Piedmonters benefitted from her dedication to the community and her outreach to residents of our City. We wish her the best in her well deserved retirement.”
“Through her leadership and style, she was quickly able to earn the trust and respect of Piedmont residents, the City Council, and City staff,”said City Administrator Paul Benoit. “With that trust, she was able to transform the department and quickly bring it into a modern era, where technology and active policing worked together to great effect.”
Chief Goede will retire to central Oregon.
Excellent, first-rate Chief. With Goede’s appearance we experienced a quick increase in patrols. Police response to calls have been remarkable. She assembled a remarkable staff of good officers. Her retirement is a great loss for the community.
For a moment, put aside the reduction in crime, forget the laudatory comments provided by her colleagues, ignore her responsiveness to the City and its residents. Just remember what a genuinely nice, professional,funny and very smart Chief we will have had and wish her the very best in Oregon.