R. W. Goodman | |
|---|---|
 Goodman c. 1946 | |
| 18th Sheriff of Richmond County, North Carolina | |
| In office 1950–1994 | |
| Preceded by | Carl Holland |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 23, 1915 Richmond County, North Carolina, US |
| Died | April 5, 2007 (aged 91) Rockingham, North Carolina, US |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
Raymond Wallace Goodman (August 23, 1915 – April 5, 2007) was an American law enforcement officer and businessman who served as Sheriff of Richmond County, North Carolina from 1950 until 1994, making him the longest serving sheriff in North Carolina history. Born in the county to a textile worker, he dropped out high school to work in a mill and as a deliveryman before undertaking brief service with the United States Navy. Upon returning to Richmond County, Goodman began working at a store in Rockingham, which he eventually bought out and renamed R. W. Goodman Company. He expanded his holdings over the following years, growing his store and acquiring a textile mill.
Goodman ran for the office of Sheriff of Richmond County in 1946, but lost the contest. He ran again four years later and was elected. While serving as sheriff, he rarely stayed in his official office, and management of the sheriff's department was usually performed by his chief deputy, who reported to him several times a day, though he would go to investigate large crime scenes and perform high-profile arrests. Goodman instead spent most of his time in his store, from where he acted as the boss of a conservative Democratic courthouse machine. Politically influential, he was often sought by local candidates for endorsements and used his connections to lobby the state government in Raleigh. Unlike other politicians in the American South during his tenure, Goodman courted black support, hiring a few black sheriff's deputies and supporting some black candidates for local offices in the 1970s. He retired in 1994 and died in 2007.