Riverside Seeks to Fire 3 Cops Over Disabled Veteran License Plates

Officers claim they have legitimate disabilities, but department says it's a "bad look"

Mar. 11, 2026 at 7:22pm

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The city of Riverside is attempting to terminate three police officers who have obtained disabled veteran license plates for their personal vehicles, despite the officers claiming they have legitimate disabilities from their military service. The department argues the officers must have lied to the DMV to obtain the plates, but the officers' attorney says federal law allows veterans to get a 100% disability rating through a combination of partial disabilities.

Why it matters

This case highlights the complex issues around disability claims and benefits for veterans, as well as potential conflicts between public perception and individual rights. It raises questions about how municipalities should handle such situations and whether the officers are being unfairly targeted.

The details

The three Riverside police officers - Timothy Popplewell, Richard Cranford, and Raymond Olivares - all obtained 100% disability ratings from the federal government due to a combination of partial disabilities from their military service. This allowed them to get disabled veteran license plates, which exempt drivers from paying registration fees and allow them to use disabled parking spots. However, the Riverside Police Department claims the officers must have lied to the DMV to get these plates, since they are "completely fit and satisfactory" at their jobs. The department says this is a "bad look" and has moved to terminate the officers, though a fourth officer who agreed to remove the plates has not faced the same punishment.

  • The officers were put on administrative leave and informed of an internal investigation on May 21, 2026.
  • The officers filed a lawsuit against the agency on July 17, 2026.
  • The Riverside City Council voted against settling the case on February 24, 2027.
  • The officers received notices of termination the day after the City Council vote.

The players

Timothy Popplewell

A Riverside police officer who served in the military from 2008 to 2011, including a deployment to Iraq, and joined the Riverside Police Department in 2019.

Richard Cranford

A Riverside police officer who served in the Army from 2010 to 2014, including a deployment to Iraq, and joined the Riverside Police Department in 2019.

Raymond Olivares

A Riverside police officer who served in the Marines from 2013 to 2019, including deployments to the Middle East and Africa, and joined the Riverside Police Department in 2019.

Matthew McNicholas

The attorney representing the three Riverside police officers.

Riverside Police Department

The law enforcement agency in Riverside, California that is seeking to terminate the three officers.

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What they’re saying

“The department said it's a bad look' for the officers to come to work in their personal cars carrying plates for veterans with a 100% disability rating.”

— Matthew McNicholas, Attorney for the officers

“Under federal law, to get a 100% disability rating — which each of the officers obtained — a veteran doesn't have to be fully disabled, their attorney said.”

— Matthew McNicholas, Attorney for the officers

What’s next

The three officers will have a chance to argue against their termination at a hearing, though a date for that hearing has not yet been scheduled.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complexities around disability claims and benefits for veterans, as well as potential conflicts between public perception and individual rights. It raises questions about how municipalities should handle such situations and whether the officers are being unfairly targeted.