Heavener Police Officer Mary King Honored as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
On 9 March at a Heavener Public School Assembly, Commander Don Bosley of the Heavener Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8403 presented Heavener Police Department Patrolman Mary Ann King with her Post plaque, gold star pin, and a check for $100 as the Posts Law Enforcement Officer of the year.
Vietnam Veterans of America member Randy Nichols presented Officer King with a check for $100 for her selection as VFW Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Also announced was that Officer King was selected by the Oklahoma Department of VFW as the State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. She will attend and be honored at the Department Convention in Oklahoma City in June of this year.
Officer King serves as the communities School Resource Officer (SRO) and Patrolman. She was specifically selected for this position due to her superior performance and unique ability to effectively communicate with juveniles. She provides traffic safety monitoring around the schools and along bus routes within the city, patrols hallways, trains and counsels students on a range of subjects which include: Truancy, School Zone Safety, 911 Emergency Awareness, Drug Awareness Training, Gun Safety, Alcohol Awareness, Domestic Abuse Training, Anti-Discrimination Training, Anti-Violence Training, and Anti-Gang Training. Her unique ability to connect with students has resulted in reduced truancy, incidences of violence on or near school campus, incidences of drug or drug related offenses; and increased cooperation between students, parents, faculty, and law enforcement officers. At sporting events such as football, basketball, soccer and track, she attends to show her support for the students and to be a visual safety tool in the community.
Officer King has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Heavener Pre- K and Head Start Programs for her help in the community in safety education; and The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma issued a certificate for her participation in the Domestic Violence for the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault training.
Officer King’s efforts continue to make the City of Heavener, LeFlore County, and our state a safer place to live and raise a family. She is most deserving of the recognition that this award provides.