ENID — “In May 2000 when the Civil Service Commission promoted me to the position of chief of police I recognized that I was being given an opportunity afforded few officers of this department,” he said. “The hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Enid Police Department have resulted in many positive changes and improvements within our department in these past 10 years.”

West said he gave his notice to the Police Civil Service Commission during a meeting in September and officially gave notice to the mayor, city manager and city commission and civil service commission in a formal letter this month. He said he gave “ample notice” to allow time for a new chief to be selected before his retirement date.

The process of selecting a new chief began Friday, and the position is open to any officer of the department with the rank of sergeant or above.



In the beginning



West was hired July 16, 1978, as an officer for the department and officially began the next day. He was assigned to the traffic division and spent three and a half years working under then-Capt. George Stover.

West later transferred to the patrol division at his request to “just get more experience.” West also worked as a detective and in 1989 was promoted to the rank of sergeant and again worked in the department’s patrol division.

“Which I’ve got to say is probably the best job in the department,” he said. “The night shift patrol sergeant was the most fun job I had on the department because I got to do actual police work. I really enjoyed the personal dealings with the public.”

During his time as a sergeant, West began attending college at Tonkawa and later Stillwater. He was working to obtain a bachelor’s degree. He took the exam to become captain, placing first in the test in 1995. West said having taken the college courses was “instrumental in my preparations for the captain’s exam.”

After five years as a captain, West took the exam to replace Dennis Madison as chief of the police department, which he did May 1, 2000.

“You never join this police department with the thought of becoming chief,” West said. “It’s not something you plan. It’s something where timing is everything. I was simply trying to become the best police officer I could be.”



10 years as chief



In his decade as chief, West said there were seven issues presented to, and voted on, by the public that were either presented by or supported by the police department.

One was the passage of a quarter cent public safety sales tax at a time when then-City Manager Bill Gamble was seeking to reduce the number of city employees to cut costs.

In April 2000, the tax was put to a vote and passed with more than 80 percent approval.

“It was a vote of confidence from the citizens of Enid and one I will never, never take for granted,” he said. “It has made the difference in keeping our streets as safe as we can.”

The passage of the public safety sales tax was followed closely by another serious need of local law enforcement when it was determined the Enid 911 system was going bankrupt. West said he again had to ask the public to support a public safety initiative to prevent the loss of Enid’s 911 system.

“It was something I did not want to do,” West said. “I did not want to discredit the police department by asking for more money because of the overwhelming support the community had shown us in passage of the public safety sales tax initiative.”

The proposal included going from an Enid 911 system to a Garfield County 911 system, something West believed helped with the passage of the vote.

“It was a very, very popular proposal,” he said. “It was difficult to do but it passed with 80-plus percent support. People realized the importance of the 911 initiative.”

A proposal for a new county jail also helped the department, which could close its own jail and use the existing space in its current renovation. Enid’s voters also approved a change to the city charter allowing the addition of six lieutenants to the department.

West said the vote for an enhanced 911 center also was crucial for the department. He said Oklahoma City’s Asso-ciation of Oklahoma Central Governments was beneficial in getting the vote passed by giving Enid the information from its campaign.

“Again, the community understood the need for the system,” West said. “We are not behind in the 911 system. We are at the leading edge of it.”

West said one of his proudest achievements was replacing a 65-year-old animal control shelter.

He said the department had to “fight the hardest to accomplish that goal.”

“It’s a shame we have a society that looks upon these animals as disposable,” he said. “It was one of the toughest fights but it was probably the most rewarding.”

West also gave credit to city of Enid’s leadership, which he said he’s had a great working relationship with.

“I’ve received tremendous support from Mayor John Criner and City Manager Eric Benson and the city commission,” he said. “ From day one I have received nothing but support from those individuals.”

However, West said it was Enid residents who have made the biggest impact in improving the city.

“What I realize now is that the improvements that have been made in the past 10 years at the police department have not only been accomplished through the hard work of the officers and administration of the department but could have never been accomplished without the overwhelming community support we’ve received from the citizens of Enid,” West said. “It’s their support that has made these improvements possible.”



Changes as chief



There have been may changes made within the department, including the introduction of a take-home police vehicle policy.

West said the vehicle take-home program, which allows officers to take a police vehicle home when they are not working, has been successful and well accepted by the public.

“What I have found time and time again is that it’s a very important program for neighborhood safety,” he said. “The public has grown accustomed to seeing take-home police vehicles and they truly appreciate having those police vehicles in their neighborhoods.”

West said after the program began one officer’s vehicle needed maintenance and he wasn’t able to take it home. After a few days, five of the officer’s neighbors came to him to ask he be given another vehicle to take home.

West also implemented staggered 10-hour work shifts within the department, which allows overlaps in shifts at times when the department is busiest. He also has seen stop sticks for pursuits placed in police vehicles and officers who qualify now carry Tasers.



Future plans, reflections



West said he doesn’t plan on taking a trip overseas or an exotic vacation once he retires.

“I have purchased 160 acres of hunting, fishing and farm land. I have begun to purchase some farm equipment,” he said. “I plan on spending much of my free time improving it for hunting and fishing.”

He said one possible improvement would be building a cabin on the land.

“I’m going to take some time off, relax and consider my options then,” he added.

What he said he will miss most about working at the department is the officers he worked most closely with.

“What I am going to miss most is the friends who I consider to be family, not seeing those individuals on a daily basis.”

West said there was concern when he was promoted to chief regarding his professional relationship with his wife, District Attorney Cathy Stocker. The fear was their personal relationship would somehow affect his decisions as chief.

“I assured the civil service commission at the time of my examination that Cathy would not interfere with my decision making as chief,” West said, “and she never has.”

West called his wife the “guiding light” through his administration.

“What I have done as chief is watch Cathy and how she deals with difficult situations and handles her job,” he said. “What I have tried to do is emulate her and be the best that I could be. I thank her for the support she’s provided me, and she has made me a better person because of it.”