Richard Robert McHale

Kern County Sheriff's Office — Bakersfield, CA

Felonious Veteran →

End of Watch March 3, 1989

Age 33

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 134 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 27

Incident

Deputy Rick McHale was killed after being beaten and shot at a family disturbance call at 303 Decatur Street in Oildale at 6 pm. The mentally ill suspect attacked Deputy McHale, beat him with his baton, and then shot him with his service weapon. The man then committed suicide. Deputy McHale was taken to Kern Medical Center, where he succumbed to his wounds the next afternoon. Deputy McHale was a United States Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Kern County Sheriff's Office for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, mother, father, and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-35620C92
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff McHale gave the Kern County Sheriff's Office 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bakersfield community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Kern County Sheriff's Office

Location Bakersfield, CA

Platform Identity kcso.kern.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 3, 1989

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Committed suicide

Military Service

Richard Robert McHale served in the Other (1975â1976) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Richard Robert McHale is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Kern County Sheriff's Office, 9 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 32.1% of this agency's fallen.

Kern County Sheriff's Office

of 28 officers

32.1% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious