Osage Nation Police Department officers, Alan Wilson and Dakota Doyle, were awarded the Medal of Valor Award for showing heroism and courage in an attempt to save a human life.
On March 27, 2022, ONPD was alerted from the Sperry Police Department of a high-speed chase that ended with a crash into a burning building with the driver trapped inside.
According to the award, “Officer Doyle grabbed a fire hose and began aggressively attacking the flames and knocked them down enough that Officer Wilson and an OHP Trooper could get in to attempt to free the trapped man from his car.
“When those attempts failed, Officers hooked a wrecker line to [the] car and it was pulled from the building which was then engulfed in flames with the roof caving in. Officer Wilson held the man as he and the vehicle was pulled out. He was then transported to a Tulsa Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.”
The fire was so hot that Officer Wilson’s ballistic vest was melted. He sustained minor burns from the incident.
The Medal of Valor is the ONPD’s highest honor and is awarded to officers who distinguish themselves by conspicuous bravery and heroism above and beyond the normal demands of police service. The award was signed and presented by Chief of Police Nick Williams to Officers Wilson and Doyle on Dec. 15, 2022.
“It is calls like this that truly show what dedicated Officers we have at the Osage Nation Police Department. This incident began as a simple call for assistance from a neighboring jurisdiction but these two men showed exceptional courage, went above and beyond the call of duty, exhibited exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind along with a unusual swiftness of action, regardless of their personal safety in this attempt to save a human life,” according to the award.
A hero retires
Arguably one of the more famous police officers on ONPD’s force, Arrak, or Arc the drug dog, retired on Oct. 1, 2022, after seven-and-a-half years on the force.
“During his tenure at the ONPD, Arc can be accredited for numerous achievements, which include 85 arrests from free air sniffs and ten successful tracks leading to the apprehension and arrests of suspects,” according to a post on ONPD’s Facebook page.
“Arc has assisted in several searches, confiscating over 500 grams of meth, 900 grams of marijuana, 30 grams of fentanyl, 50 grams of cocaine, and approximately 20 grams of heroin from the streets. Due to his ability to sniff and detect illegal drugs, during traffic stops, Arc helped lead Officers towards intel that resulted in the apprehension of suspects of a large copper theft case that originated in another jurisdiction.
According to the post, Arc has assisted in locating missing persons, called to assist multiple agencies that did not have a drug dog, he tracked fleeing suspects and aided in locating evidence from suspects. He also aided surrounding schools in conducting school searches for illegal substances.
Arc was nominated for the American Humane Hero Dog Award for the year 2022 and he has been recognized by Protecting K9 Hero’s in their upcoming calendar for 2024, according to the post. He has also been invited to other organizations out of state.
“As intimidating as this K9 appears, he truly is a gentle giant. Arc was released to his handler upon retirement. He is now enjoying a comfortable lifestyle, surrounded by a wonderful family who does not see him as just a pet or dog but as a family member. “Arc, from all of us at ONPD, thank you for your dedication and service to the Osage Nation. Thank you for always having our backs and making the community a safer place. Enjoy your retirement!”
