By Cass Rains
Enid News & Eagle
ENID, Okla. — Driver Mavick Courter and Sgt. Nick John were named Firefighter and Police Officer of the Year, respectively, Thursday afternoon in a ceremony at Enid Fire Department’s Station No. 1.
The awards are in honor of Stephen B. DeVaughn, who served on both the police and fire civil service commissions, was an agent for the Treasury Department and a liaison for the United States to Interpol.
“My brother dedicated his life to community service and the country,” Dr. Richard DeVaughn said before presenting the awards honoring his brother. “He was an Eagle Scout. Started out with Treasury Department in the customs division and became the youngest special agent in charge in the New Orleans District.”
The doctor said his brother also served the Treasury Department in its Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C., offices.
“He retired to Enid Oklahoma and continued being active, DeVaughn said, “serving on the Police Civil Service Commission and Fire Civil Service Commission.”
DeVaughn said a fund with Cherokee Strip Community Foundation in his brother’s name will ensure there is always funds for the two awards.
Fire Chief Joe Jackson and Police Chief Brian O’Rourke bestowed the awards, explaining the selection process to the other firefighters and officers, family and friends in attendance.
Jackson said there are three shifts, and one person is selected from each shift as a nominee for the award. He said there also are nine staff members, and a fourth nominee is selected from among that group.
From the nominees, everyone votes for Firefighter of the Year, and Courter won the overall vote.
“I’d like to thank Dr. DeVaughn for this generous award and all the firefighters who voted for me,” Courter said. “I work with an outstanding group of guys and I couldn’t ask for better.”
Jackson said Courter has a great personality and great demeanor and is someone who you enjoyed working with.
O’Rourke explained each quarter supervisors select an officer as officer of the quarter. Of those four, the administration, five captains and O’Rourke select the Police Officer of the Year.
O’Rourke honored officers Blayke Hickey, Tyler Evans and Christian Gunning as officers of the first three quarters, and John as officer of the fourth quarter.
“Everywhere he’s been, he’d done a really outstanding job,” O’Rourke said of John. “He’s very knowledgable on juvenile crime. He’s really been in charge of some huge investigations and has done and outstanding job.”
“I told my guys earlier that there are lot of guys who’ve been past officers of the year,” John said. “There’s 89 guys over that are just as qualified.”
Copyright 2019 Enid News & Eagle