A former San Diego County Sheriff's deputy who admitted to sexually assaulting women while on duty has taken on a new role counseling police officers as a chaplain. Richard “Ricky” Fischer was appointed to the position with the Christian Law Enforcement Fellowship, a local nonprofit that provides faith-based counseling and support to law enforcement across the county.
The appointment, first reported by Voice of San Diego, has reignited anger over a case that cost San Diego County taxpayers nearly $10 million. In 2019, Fischer pleaded guilty to seven criminal charges, including four felony counts of assault and battery by an officer under color of authority, two misdemeanor counts of assault by an officer, and one misdemeanor count of false imprisonment, stemming from allegations by 16 women who accused him of on-duty sexual misconduct. The case was also covered by NBC 7 San Diego.
Fischer's plea deal meant prosecutors dismissed the original felony sex crime charges in exchange for the officer assault convictions, a legal maneuver that meant he was never required to register as a sex offender upon release, according to reporting from the Los Angeles Times. A judge sentenced Fischer in December 2019 to 44 months in county jail followed by 16 months of mandatory supervision, but he ended up serving only five months behind bars. He was released in May 2020 after county officials miscalculated pre-trial home GPS monitoring credits, a discrepancy also documented by NBC San Diego.
Nearly $10 Million in Taxpayer Settlements
The financial fallout from Fischer's conduct has been substantial. By August 2023, San Diego County taxpayers had paid out $9.5 million to settle 21 civil lawsuits brought by women who accused him of on-duty sexual abuse, fondling, and groping, the Los Angeles Times reported. The county also spent more than $1 million to hire independent outside counsel to defend both Fischer and the Sheriff's Department in civil court, a cost driven by conflict-of-interest rules that barred county counsel from representing both parties in the litigation.
Now, years after his release, Fischer has resurfaced in a role that places him back in contact with law enforcement officers, even as he remains barred from the department that once employed him. A San Diego County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said Fischer was terminated in February 2019 for behavior not acceptable for any department member. The spokesperson also confirmed that current Sheriff Kelly Martinez requested her photo be removed from the fellowship's website following the news of his appointment.
Fellowship Leader Defends Decision as Redemption
Christian Law Enforcement Fellowship President Jerry Hara, a retired San Diego Police Department captain, defended the choice to bring Fischer on board. Hara said Fischer underwent religious redemption during and after his incarceration, is currently attending seminary, and will minister exclusively to male officers within the organization.
Founded in the late 1980s, the fellowship provides spiritual support, prayer breakfasts, and marriage retreats across San Diego County law enforcement agencies. Its leadership team includes active SDPD chaplains alongside retired police officials, giving the group deep and longstanding ties to the region's law enforcement community.
Victims' Attorney Calls Appointment an Injustice
Not everyone accepts the redemption framing. Attorney Dan Gilleon, who represented most of Fischer's victims in the civil suits against the county, publicly condemned the fellowship's decision. Gilleon said placing a convicted predator in a support role within law enforcement circles is an injustice to victims, faith leaders, and honest police officers alike.
The dispute leaves an unresolved tension at the center of the story: whether an organization built to serve officers' spiritual needs can credibly do so while employing a man whose on-duty conduct cost the county millions and upended the lives of at least 16 women. For now, Sheriff Martinez's office has moved to put daylight between the department and the fellowship's promotional materials, even as Hara's organization stands by its decision to bring Fischer into the fold.
