Alicia Ford is a familiar face around Blaine County. She started in law enforcement back in 2008 when she became a dispatcher for the sheriff’s office. She was there about five years as a dispatcher and jail assistant. At that time Ford gained her certification as a law enforcement officer and went to work at the Watonga Police Department.
She later married and moved to southeast Oklahoma. There, she was a K9 officer. Later, she became a special investigator at the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office.
But before long, life brought Ford back to Blaine County and Watonga. She returned to the Watonga PD, but by March 2023, resumed her duties at Blaine County SO.
There was a brief detour from law enforcement when Ford became the director of the Retired Volunteer Service Program at Opportunities, but her love for law enforcement would not be denied and she applied and was hired as the chief of police for Geary.
That town had its own challenges with the police force, with accusations of unequal treatment and enforcement. The force dwindled to only two officers and an interim chief when the former chief was fired by the city council over a weapons discharge near the elementary school that went uninvestigated.
And Ford knows she has a tough row to hoe when it comes to community relationships.
“We are looking to rebuild the face of the Geary Police Department,” she said. First up is to recruit enough officers so that the department is fully staffed. To that end, Ford has three interviews scheduled. There are two full time officers and one reserve officer, plus six dispatchers. If the city can hire some or all of the interviewees the goal of full staff will have been met.
There are some equipment deficiencies that need to be addressed. “Just a little tweak here and there,” Ford said.
The rest is just plain old good police work.
“We need to show we are fresh and new, get out of the past bad light,” she said. “We want to become more community oriented, to embrace and respect every culture. We are going to do our best to protect and serve the citizens of Geary.”
And while her first love is law enforcement, Ford said leaving Opportunities was a difficult choice, because she loved her work there as well.
She said they had called a family meeting. The couple has eight children between them, three of whom are adults now, but still weighed in on the decision.
“They were so supportive of me taking the job,” she said, with a smile in her voice at the memory. “We did a lot of praying, and my church was really supportive, too. It made the decision easy.”
The hiring process was fairly easy, too. Ford found the Geary City Council easy to work with.
“They were so great,” she said. “They were very accepting and positive.”
Returning to police work has been a positive for Ford as well. “My passion is law enforcement,” she said. “I just love to serve.”