Lieutenant Richard Gooch is originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Following an honorable discharge from the US Army he moved to South Carolina in 1997 and began attending Tri-County Technical College shortly thereafter. In 1999, he was hired by the Clemson City Police Department and assigned to the Uniform Patrol Unit. While a part of the patrol unit, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant; in May 2007 he was promoted to his current rank of Lieutenant. Lieutenant Gooch currently commands Patrol Operations, Detectives, the Jail, and Dispatch.
Lieutenant Gooch holds an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Tri-County Technical College.