RPD officer charged with hit and run, cruelty to children

♦ The former K-9 officer accused of running over a child’s foot

A 27-year veteran of the Rome Police Department is facing several charges after a child was reportedly injured in a daycare pickup line on the evening of Dec. 17.

According to Floyd County Jail reports:

Richard Kinney Penson, 51, of 75 Ridgeview Drive in Silver Creek, was off duty and driving his 2007 GMC truck through the pickup area at a daycare facility, when he ran over the foot of a 3-year-old child.

The incident was reported to have occurred on Dec. 17 at about 5:15 p.m. A follow up investigation resulted in identifying Penson as a possible suspect in this incident. According to a statement released by the Rome Police Department, on Dec. 19 the Rome Police Department received information that a possible hit and run incident, resulting in an injury to a 3-yearold child, had occurred at the Kids’ Stop Learning Center, 1700 Dean Ave.

Due to the nature of the incident and Penson’s employment with the Rome Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol was asked to conduct the investigation.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the Georgia State Patrol conferred with the District Attorney’s Office regarding potential charges. Warrants were then issued for Penson’s arrest.

Penson is charged with felony second degree cruelty to children, and misdemeanors hit and run as well as reckless driving. He turned himself into the Floyd County Jail last Friday morning.

Penson was not on duty at the time of the incident, was not taking any action as a police officer and was driving his own personal vehicle.

Due to the criminal charges, Penson’s employment with the Rome Police Department has been discontinued.

“He is innocent until con- victed, but we have to separate his employment because his police certification would be immediately suspended once we report this to POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training),” said Assistant Chief Debbie Burnett. “We don’t even have the GSP report yet.”

Penson had been a K-9 officer for more than 20 years and was instrumental in bringing regional dog certification programs to Rome on several occasions in recent years. He had just recently completed the training of two new Rome K-9 dogs which were assigned to two officers a couple of weeks ago.

The Georgia State Patrol continues to be the investigating agency in the case.