Rashad Riley remembered by the community.
By Sam Catanzaro
A Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) officer died last week while swimming in Hawaii, the SMPD has announced.
The Santa Monica Police Officers’ Association (SMPOA) today said that Santa Monica Police Officer Rashad Riley passed away in a tragic drowning accident while on the island of Kauai April 12, 2019. He leaves behind his loving wife, as well as three beautiful children.
“Officer Riley was a beloved friend to all who knew him, and mentor to local youth in both the Santa Monica Police Explorer and Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL) programs. He served the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) with great pride, courage and integrity for the past 3 years. Officer Riley was a cherished member of the Department’s Homeless Liaison Program,” SMPOA said in a letter. “With an infectious and genuine smile, he always demonstrated compassion and empathy when interacting with the community. Officer Riley will be truly missed by his SMPD family, all those who served the City of Santa Monica along with him, and all community members he so deeply touched.”
A GoFundMe page has been established to collect donations on behalf of Officer Riley’s family; GoFundMe link: https://www.gofundme.com/supporting-the-family-of-officer-rashad-riley. Please contact the SMPOA Office at poa@smgov.net, or (310) 393-1003, regarding donations by check.
