Humanitarian of the Year Award
Detective Richard Kalk
Los Angeles Police Department
Detective Richard Kalk is the founder of the Los Angeles Police Museum. It is not unusual for the chief executive officer of an organization to start a museum in as much as the CEO has tremendous assets at his or her command along with the contacts necessary to help fund such a project. Conversely, Detective Kalk was just an ordinary police officer who had an extraordinary vision coupled with the passion and drive to build the organization from scratch.
The program was begun in 1988 and, with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, was incorporated in 1989 as a nonprofit organization.
Through his efforts, Kalk obtained the rights to use the 1927 Highland Park Police Station and turn it into the home of the museum. He also convinced Frito Lay to give the Museum a truck and trailer, which he converted into a mobile museum. It is often displayed at community events. He fought for recognition of the museum as a payroll deduction and today it is only one of three charities selected by the City of Los Angeles as an approved charity.
He also conceived the idea of the Annual Jack Webb Awards, which honors distinguished persons and generates money for the museum. He created the “Walk of Remembrance” at the Police Academy and the “Wall of Remembrance” at the museum. He created the Link magazine and moved to acquire numerous historical police vehicles.
Today, the facility serves not only as a museum but also a community and educational center. Thousands of children from schools all over the area come to the museum to learn about law, policing and citizenship.
All of this was started by Richard Kalk with his personal funds, his dreams and the tremendous desire to preserve the history of the Los Angeles Police Department for the betterment of our society.
The Golden Badge Foundation is proud to present Detective Richard Kalk with the 2005 Humanitarian Award.
