Randy Richmond (The London Free Press) investigates systemic inequities in Canada’s criminal justice and healthcare systems. With 25+ years specializing in accountability reporting, his work influences provincial policy reforms while centering marginalized communities’ experiences.
We’ve followed Randy Richmond’s work at The London Free Press for over two decades, observing his evolution from a general assignment reporter to a specialist in systemic inequities. His career trajectory reflects a deepening commitment to stories that expose institutional failures while amplifying marginalized voices.
Beginning in 2000 at The London Free Press after stints in Orillia, Richmond carved a niche investigating homelessness and social justice issues. His 2019 National Newspaper Award-winning series We Are the Cops marked a turning point, blending investigative rigor with narrative storytelling to scrutinize police accountability.
This March 2025 investigation into the Southwestern Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) revealed leadership instability impacting patient care. Richmond combined leaked internal documents with anonymized staff testimonies to detail how CEO Alison Martin’s controversial rehire triggered resignations and Ontario Health investigations. The piece exemplifies his method: balancing institutional records with human-centered narratives about healthcare access for 30,000+ Indigenous patients.
Richmond’s March 2025 report challenged Canada’s prison furlough system through the case of a 1990s serial offender granted unsupervised release. By contrasting Correctional Service Canada’s risk assessments with victims’ families’ testimonies, he highlighted tensions between rehabilitation policies and public safety concerns—a recurring theme in his justice system coverage.
This April 2025 retrospective analyzed Cordes’ legacy building London’s largest youth services nonprofit. Richmond contextualized current challenges in transitional housing programs within Cordes’ 2011 Cornerstone building controversy, demonstrating his knack for connecting institutional history to present-day policy debates.
Richmond prioritizes stories exposing gaps between governmental health pledges and on-the-ground realities. His SOAHAC investigation [1] paired funding announcements with service delivery shortfalls. Effective pitches should offer access to Indigenous health workers or data on wait times for culturally sensitive care.
The prisoner furlough report [2] typifies his interest in systemic contradictions. Pitch comparative analyses of provincial vs. federal reintegration programs or interviews with recidivism researchers studying unsupervised leave outcomes.
His Cordes profile [3] shows appetite for evaluating long-term leadership impacts. Pitch case studies of succession planning in community organizations, especially those navigating post-founder eras amid funding crises.
“Richmond’s work has made Canada’s criminal justice system more transparent.” — National Newspaper Awards Committee
2019 Journalist of the Year (National Newspaper Awards): Won for We Are the Cops, a 12-part series that prompted Ontario’s police oversight reforms. The NNA recognition—Canada’s highest print journalism honor—cemented Richmond’s reputation for accountability reporting.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Crime, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
