BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — A Broken Arrow police officer is being recognized nationally for the work he is doing in the Broken Arrow community.
Officer Mike Peale has been with the Broken Arrow Police Department for almost twenty years.
After years of being on patrol, he became the public affairs officer for BAPD.
In 2019, officer Peale says he saw there was a gap that needed to be filled between the police department and a particular minority community.
“About 13 percent of Broken Arrow is Spanish speakers,” says Peale.
So, he started a Spanish-speaking citizen's police academy.
It’s an eight-week-long program designed to give Spanish-speaking residents a better understanding of how the police department works and to meet officers.
Officer Peale says the growing relationship between Broken Arrow and Spanish-speaking residents is keeping the community even safer.
“We’ve got more victims coming forward and more witnesses willing to share with us. We found the call volumes have gone up, which means they are being more proactive.”
This week, officer Peale was honored in Washington D.C. this week by the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorneys General Merrick Garland and Clinton Johnson.
Peale was recognized for his distinguished service in community policing and was one of only three winners who were recognized for their work in medium-sized agencies.
This marks the highest national award the department has ever received.
But Peale says it’s not just about him, and the good work is a group effort.
“It's not about me,” says Peale. “To me, it’s important that broken arrow is being recognized.”
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