Officer James Langford Retires After 15 Years of Dedicated Service

Oxnard, CA – Today, in front of family, friends, and colleagues, the Oxnard Police Department celebrated the outstanding career of Officer James Langford as he was presented with his retirement plaque honoring fifteen years of dedicated service to the City and its residents. Officer Langford began his law enforcement career with the Oxnard Police Department as a Reserve Officer in 2004 and was sworn in as a Police Officer in July 2005. 

Officer Langford served as a patrol officer, central business district officer, narcotics detective, and most recently a traffic officer.  He was recognized by both his peers and the Ventura County Superior Courts as an expert in the area of narcotics and human trafficking enforcement and was a founding member of the Ventura County Coalition Against Human Trafficking. Officer Langford was a problem solver whose work ethic matched his positive attitude. He was willing to step into numerous roles to assist the department including, driving instructor, field training officer, bike patrol officer, mobile command post driver, police academy instructor, drug recognition expert, and cross training as a dispatcher and booking officer. 

In 2011, Officer Langford received the Chief’s Award of Excellence for his efforts in a human trafficking and prostitution ring that spanned both Ventura and Los Angeles counties.  In February 2018, he once again received the Chief’s Award of Excellence for his role in the Technical Support Unit and the community camera project, which began in late 2016. His dedication and ingenuity led to the installation of cameras in several neighborhoods impacted by violent crime. 

Officer Langford was also recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers for his efforts in arresting subjects for driving under the influence of alcohol (2010) and by the California Highway Patrol for his stolen vehicle enforcement efforts (2008 and 2010).  In 2016, he was an Officer of the Year nominee.

Tragically, on September 26, 2017, Officer Langford was involved in a single motorcycle collision during a training ride on Highway 58 in Kern County.  Officer Langford was airlifted by helicopter to a local hospital where he was listed in critical condition. In June 2018, after nearly 200 days of care and rehabilitation Officer Langford returned to Ventura County with his family.  Although Officer Langford made great strides in his recovery, it is what led to his retirement.

“We are a better department and a safer city because of James’ hard work,” said Chief of Police Scott Whitney, “although his time with us was not as long as we wanted, he made a tremendous impact on our community. We are proud to have served alongside him.”