September 27, 2019 Issue, Page 2 of 26

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PG2 HOMETOWN HEROES an officer is that can be hard on a social meth and a firearm. life, and not everybody is happy to have “It’s exciting, but at the same time, it encounter with an officer. was like I did something that had an im- A grandfather who volunteered at the The Elk City News salutes them and “Tt can be long days, and sometimes pact on this area,” he said. “That was a fire department. The unity of the people all first responders with this supple- there are emotional calls and you have lot of dope to take off the streets.” who responded after the 9/11 terrorist ment, which honors those who put their to carry that with you,” said Olson, who He also enjoys working with young attacks. Giving back to the community. lives on the line every day to protect our works weekend nights, or Friday, Satur- people, even as he said they can drive People interviewed by The Elk City day and Sunday and every other Thurs- lives, property and communities. We him crazy at times, as he calls himself News discussed the inspirations that day night. drew them to their careers as first re- can't thank them enough for the work a people person and wants to have a He said he functions better on night sponders. All of them expressed a desire they do for us every day. working relationship with them. duty, which runs 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. He to help others.Their stories are shared -Don Munsch, “We do the best we can,” he said, de- works all over the whole town, and his here in Hometown Heroes. Editor, The Elk City News scribing an officer’s job. “It is the most shift has four people. challenging job I’ve ever had in any- Olson moves from the “T like it more, I kind of feel my thing I’ve done in my life. But I love groove there,” he said, adding it’s im- portant for one to find balance with it, and I really like helping people. And oil field to police field work life and his or her personal life. that’s really what all of us are— constant In his work, his most difficult chal- problem fixers. That’s who we are natu- lenges are child abuse and rape calls. rally as a person.” opportunity to give back to the city.” As far as a call that brought him profes- Olson said everyone should figure out A Huntington Beach, Calif., native, sional satisfaction, he recalls pursuing a way to give back to their community he moved to Southeast Texas when he and catching someone in a drug bust in and country, and he found his way to was in high school. After high school, June 2018. The car had 169 grams of give back. he joined the U.S. Air Force — he was To Protect & Serve stationed at Tinker Air Force Base — and then after his stint in the military, he + Ea a...«| said he “met the woman of my dreams and got married” and moved to Western Oklahoma. His wife has roots in West- ern Oklahoma. Family tradition played a role in his career choice. Josh Olson ‘My whole family, on both sides, has always gravitated toward public ser- By Don Munsch, Editor vice in some sort,” he said. “My father Josh Olson worked in the oil field for 13 years in Elk City before deciding on was in the military his entire career, my brother, too. I have a cousin who’s in | ieir lives in c a career in law enforcement. law enforcement in Los Angeles. It’s He has been at the Elk City Police what we’re into. My mom did Girl Department for a little over three years Scouts for 30-plus years. The military their service and is a patrol officer. wasn’t for me, but I found my niche.” “The oil field gets old — you burn out He has enjoyed the police field, espe- at both ends — and Elk City did a lot for cially the camaraderie and the fact that me in the oil field,” said Olson, a corpo- every day is different and that he gets tal. “They took care of me, so this is my to help people. The downside to being Thank you Thank you ‘ema first responders! to our area first responsers! ys sewn paces Inc 723 S. Merritt Rd 322 S Jefferson St, Elk City 911 South Main St, Elk City 580-225-6922 580-225-3186 580-225-1400