Richard Gallegos has been a resident of the San Fernando Valley since 1973. Born in Lequeitio, Mexico, he was three years of age when he, along with his brother Jose and sister Maria, left his older sister Rafaela behind and went to live with his father Cresencio and stepmother in Socorro, Texas. At five years of age, he began to work alongside the family in the cotton fields. In 1957, the family migrated to California to work the fields. The family finally settled in Oxnard, California in 1964 where he attended Ramona Elementary School, Fremont Jr. High School, and Oxnard High School.

At 19, he was drafted into the United States Army. After serving two years during the Vietnam War, he received an Honorable Discharge, medals, and commendations for Good Conduct, Expert - M16 Rifle, 45 Caliber, Hand-to-Hand Combat Fighting, Grenade Throwing, and Bayonet Fighting. After being discharged, he left Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with a 1949 Plymouth, $250, his wife Rosa, and their three children (Richard Natalio, Jose Francisco, and Angel Gallegos) and settled in Sun Valley, California. He re-enlisted in the Army Reserves for three and one half years before receiving an Honorable Discharge from inactive duty.

In 1976, at the age of 23, he purchased a home in Pacoima and welcomed an addition to the family-Rosalinda-in 1983. He studied Community and Family Empowerment, Sociology, Psychology, and Business Management at both Valley College and Mission College. He also attended various training courses, including Paralegal, Real Estate, Insurance Adjusting-Life and Disability, School Bus Driver Training, Valley Leadership Institute, and Coro Leadership School.

He is currently the Executive Director and Founder of Residents United for Community Empowerment and Education, is the President of the Nighthawks Neighborhood Watch, and was the first elected President of the Pacoima Neighborhood Council. His long history of community service includes being instrumental in the installation of a signal light at Van Nuys Boulevard and Kewen Street; collaborating with the L.A.P.D. Foothill Division Vice Unit, community members, and youths to deny the issuing of a Conditional Use Permit to a business that was selling alcohol to minors; assisting, along with the L.A.P.D. Foothill Division, a neighbor dispute, which later led to the discovery that narcotics were being sold; and helped with fundraising for two non-profit organizations and the Pacoima Elementary Parent Center.

He serves as a Board member on the Pacoima Neighborhood Council, the Hansen Dam Advisory Board, the Parks and Recreation Safety Committee Board, the Nighthawks Neighborhood Watch (as President), the Los Angeles Police Department Hispanic Community Forum, the Humphrey Park Advisory Board, the Ritchie Valens Advisory Board, the Valley Regional Volunteer Oversight Committee, the Ernani Bernardi Scholarship Foundation (as Panelist), the Los Angeles City Awards and Unsung Heroes (as Panelist), the Pacoima Beautification Committee Executive Board, the Sylmar/San Fernando High School District B Advisory Board, the Pacoima Coordinating Council (as Vice President), the Community Police Advisory Board, the Police and Community Collaborating Team, the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee, the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce, the Unity in the Community, the Gang Intervention Team Committee, the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (as Speaker/Panelist in "How to Get Things Done"), and as a speaker at California State University Northridge for Urban Studies and Planning 435.

Richard Gallegos has an exemplary record in public service and has been an advocate, activist, and community leader since 1984. With the assistance of the Foothill Division Narcotics Unit, 18 homes that were selling narcotics on one street were shut down, one methamphetamine lab was also shut down, which resulted in several arrests and reached federal court. Seven other homes selling drugs throughout the community were also shut down. With the aide of the Foothill Division Gang Unit 3, gangs were broken up for over 5 years and 12 gang members were arrested for rape, grand theft auto, assaults with deadly weapons, intimidation of witnesses, sales of illegal substance, and sales of illegal firearms. He was also responsible in getting more patrols, specifically by gang units, along with surveillance cameras, to cover Humphrey Park.

Mr. Gallegos has been instrumental in getting street lighting, sidewalks, speed bumps, illegal dumping signs, and street sweeping signs installed in his community. He organized a clean up alongside the118 freeway from Foothill Blvd to San Fernando Road and a bulk-item disposal day (which resulted in 159 tons being collected). He also helped to start two Neighborhood Watches in the community, organized the first Neighborhood Watch Baseball Team (Nighthawks Baseball Team), has helped reduce graffiti in the community by 80%, assisted in improving the median on Glenoaks Boulevard, and initiated the removal of adult billboards throughout the community.

He was instrumental in bringing various community projects to fruition, such as splash pads at Sylmar Park, sport lighting at Ritchie Valens Park, soccer fields at Hansen Dam, and the Day Care Center at Hubert Humphrey Park. He has helped organize the Unity in the Community Parade for the past two years, which involved the L.A.P.D., the L.A.F.D., and the U.S. National Guard.

Mr. Gallegos made history by welcoming the Chief of Police to a Pacoima Town Hall meeting at which over 500 community members attended. He is strongly supported by the Los Angeles Police Department, State Senator Richard Alarcon, State Assemble member Cindy Montañez, Councilmember Alex Padilla, Councilmember Tony Cardenas, District Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, the Sanitation Department, the Bureau of Street Lighting, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Building and Safety and other Departments of Public Works.

He has worked with at-risk youth in changing their lives, improving their academics, their morale, their confidence, and their self esteem. He has also worked with parents and their troubled youths on becoming better parents. He was also a spokesperson for M.T.A. commuters who travel from Chatsworth to Pacoima when M.T.A. wanted to cancel Route 168 and succeeded in keeping the line open. He has also helped residents in need of clothing, food, and toys, and has worked with non-profit organizations to aid families that were affected by rainstorms with food and water.

Mr. Gallegos has helped residents and business owners from Lakeview Terrace to Chatsworth with personal problems. He has received many certificates and commendations from politicians and the Department of Public Works for his hard work and efforts in the community.

He remains focused on improving the environment and the quality of life in the community by developing partnerships and building trust, confidence, and respect with law enforcement officers, politicians and with personnel from the various departments of public works.