Holly MatkinGalloway, NJ – Atlantic City Police Department (ACPD) Officer Richard Link died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Saturday, according to his department.
The 29-year-old officer’s body was discovered inside his vehicle, ACPD said in a press release on Aug. 25.
The Southern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that Officer Link’s manner of death was “suicide cause by a gunshot wound,” the department said.
Officer Link joined ACPD as a Class II Special Law Enforcement Officer in December of 2016, The Star-Ledger reported.
He was promoted to a full-time officer position in April of 2019.
Officer Link was assigned to the Operations Division, but had temporarily been working as a member of the Riot Investigation Team in recent months, The Star-Ledger reported.
ACPD Detective Eric Evans said that Officer Link “was the most ambitious, dedicated, and humble cop” that he’d ever scene, according to a fundraising page established to help the fallen officer’s family.
“That dude wouldn’t take a break from any case, regardless of how petty it was,” Det. Evans marveled. “He would work it from beginning to end without complaining once. There was never an off switch for Link.”
The detective noted that it was rare to come by someone with as much ambition to be a good officer as Officer Link had.
“You always told everyone how you wanted to be the most proactive cop ACPD [had] ever seen,” Det. Evans wrote. “After the Riot Investigation was done, your Supervisors from Intelligence kept you in the unit because they saw your non stop drive trying to bring justice to people who destroyed Atlantic City. A city that you always gave 120% to.”
He said everyone “could always count on Link to bring a smile” to their faces.
“The city, the victims you went above and beyond for, and everyone that worked with you will truly miss you,” Det. Evans added. “The only people that know what you’ve been exposed to at work is your co-workers, very few other people understand what the job takes. We should always be checking on each other. You truly never know what someone is going through.”
ACPD Chief Henry White described Officer Link as a “young, bright, rising star in our department,” according to an ACPD Facebook post.
“He most recently received tremendous praise for his work ethic and dedication from his supervisors and peers as he was an integral part of our team that investigated the looting and rioting that occurred in May,” Chief White said. “On behalf of the men and women of the ACPD, my thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Officer Link at this difficult time.”
Officer Link will be laid to rest on Aug. 29, according to ACPD.
Update on Death of Officer Richard Link – More info: https://t.co/RqgrF8CcE5 – For anyone that needs assistance, or knows someone that needs assistance, please call Cop2Cop at 866-267-2267 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741. pic.twitter.com/ctM9TZ0oh1
— AtlanticCityPD (@AtlanticCityPD) August 25, 2020
ACPD Mourns the Loss of Officer Richard Link – “Officer Richard Link was a young, bright, rising star in our department”, said Chief Henry White.
More info: https://t.co/2WbFMrngkl pic.twitter.com/ubVmNK5OZe— AtlanticCityPD (@AtlanticCityPD) August 23, 2020
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Atlantic City Police Department Officer Richard Link, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.
