From Sacramento Bee, June 9, 2008 Del. troopers: Man's CHP background didn't alter response By RANDALL CHASE - Associated Press Writer Last Updated 5:46 pm PDT Monday, June 9, 2008 DOVER, Del. -- State troopers knew it was a former California Highway Patrol officer who holed up with a gun in a Milford home after threatening to kill a neighbor - but they handled the situation no differently than similar standoffs, authorities said Monday. The standoff between Delaware State Police and former CHP officer Richard D. Redmond ended violently about 3 a.m. Saturday when Redmond, 52, was shot and killed after shooting at officers who had surrounded his home. No officers were injured. "We went through the same protocol as we would with any other person," said DSP spokesman Sgt. Joshua Bushweller, noting that officers are authorized to use deadly force against a suspect who uses lethal force against them or someone else. Maj. Joseph Papili, head of special operations for the DSP, said troopers learned shortly after arriving at Redmond's home that he was a former police officer. Negotiators acknowledged Redmond's background during negotiations aimed at persuading him to surrender, but it did not prompt any changes in their approach to the standoff, Papili said. "You have to take that into consideration that he may be familiar with some of our tactics and some of our operational capabilities," he said. "... He didn't demand anything that would lead us to believe he knew what we were doing or what our capabilities were." Fran Clader, a spokeswoman for the California Highway Patrol, said Redmond entered the academy in October 1981 and was assigned to central Los Angeles after graduating in March 1982. He became a motorcycle officer in April 1983 and was transferred to San Diego about nine months later. Redmond retired from the force because of a job-related injury in August 1985, said Ed Fong, a spokesman for the California Public Employees' Retirement System. State police said Redmond was suffering from a terminal illness, and they have not ruled out "suicide by cop." Bushweller of DSP added that Redmond had threatened to shoot police if they entered his home and had suggested to several people that he wanted to end his life. According to state police, Redmond started an argument with a neighbor Friday night and threatened to kill him. Another neighbor called 911 after Redmond brandished a handgun and threatened to kill the man he argued with. Redmond refused to speak with police officers who responded to his home, where his wife was inside with him. Redmond stepped outside his front door several times during the standoff and said he was going to surrender, but then went back inside, police said. After he stepped outside again shortly before 3:15 a.m. Saturday, police shot him with nonlethal beanbags. Papili declined to explain why officers did not use a stun gun to subdue him instead. Redmond then grabbed a .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle from inside the home and shot at the officers. Lt. Rodney Layfield, a 14-year veteran of the force, then killed Redmond with a single round. Papili refused to say whether Layfield fired his service revolver or another type of weapon. After the standoff, police recovered eight pistols, the rifle and a shotgun from Redmond's home. All were loaded. Redmond's widow, Terri, declined to comment Monday, according to a woman who answered the telephone at Redmond's home and identified herself as Mrs. Redmond's mother. "I'm sure you can understand this has been traumatic for her," she said