Richard Burner serves as Detective Chief Superintendent (DCS) in the Capital Police Department, commanding the elite Special Service of Crime (SSC) unit. He possesses white hair and brown eyes, consistently wearing a formal dark blue suit befitting his senior rank. His wife, Olivia Burner, worked at a bank until her death during a robbery by masked assailants. The robbers deployed a bomb to destroy evidence within safety deposit boxes, killing Olivia as collateral damage. This robbery was covertly commissioned by Steven Martland, CEO of LIVE Corporation, to eliminate incriminating evidence against his company. Olivia's death profoundly impacts Richard, becoming a core motivator for his actions.

After her death, Richard resigns from the SSC. Despite stepping down, he maintains involvement in investigating LIVE Corporation and the conspiracy surrounding superhuman-augmenting masks. He participates in critical events, including a surgical procedure on researcher Fred Faraday, where he and Lennox Gallagher attempt to protect Faraday from assassins but are overpowered. Richard orchestrates retribution against Martland for Olivia's murder. As Martland flees the country via private jet to evade justice, the aircraft malfunctions and crashes into the ocean, heavily implied as sabotage by Richard to ensure Martland faces fatal consequences for the bank robbery and other crimes.