Attorney General Drummond announces four regional Officers of the Year for 2024
OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 12, 2024) – In the inaugural year of the Attorney General’s Outstanding Officer of the Year Award, Attorney General Gentner Drummond has announced four regional winners, one of whom will be named next month as the statewide Officer of the Year for 2024.
Drummond launched the initiative in May to highlight the extraordinary work of law enforcement officers across Oklahoma. With 44 nominations submitted to the Office of the Attorney General, judges – comprised of city, county, tribal and state criminal justice professionals – selected regional winners from across the state.
“These four individuals reflect the courage, selflessness and unwavering commitment that is representative of Oklahoma’s law enforcement community,” Drummond said. “I congratulate the regional winners for their extraordinary work and thank them for their steadfast dedication to public safety.”
The regional winners are:
Northwest Region
Detective Lauren Cunningham
A 16-year veteran of the Oklahoma City Police Department, Detective Cunningham has been with the homicide division since 2021. Prior to that, she served in units handling crimes against children and cases of domestic violence. Cunningham has been lauded for the painstaking work she and her partner did investigating an April 1, 2023, triple murder at the Whiskey Barrel Saloon. They spent weeks assembling video, photographs and 3D imaging technology to show the movements of the defendants at the crime scene. Because the slayings allegedly stemmed from a dispute between biker gangs, Cunningham also delved into the intricacies of that culture. Her efforts resulted in the arrest and charging of 15 defendants.
Northeast Region
Trooper Derek Fry
On March 24, 2023, the suspect in a Kansas armed robbery was racing southbound on I-35 at speeds over 100 mph, eluding Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) troopers for more than 45 miles. The suspect had told Kansas bank employees he had a bomb. With lethal force having been authorized, Trooper Fry fired on the speeding car near Highway 412. The suspect lost control of the vehicle and fled on foot in the direction of a populated area. Fry and fellow troopers gave chase. Seeing the suspect armed with an AK-47 and taking position to ambush troopers, Fry fatally shot the man. The nine-year OHP veteran was one of two recipients of the 2023 Trooper of the Year Award. Fry is currently with the Oklahoma Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center.
Southwest Region
Master Police Officer Benjamin Gomez
An eight-year veteran of the Norman Police Department (NPD), Gomez was named NPD’s 2023 Officer of the Year. Department leaders commended Gomez for his exemplary work in “all facets of our profession,” including submitting more than 230 felony/misdemeanor charges, completing more than 819 calls for service and serving more than 360 hours of community outreach. He earned particular praise for two incidents. In March 2023, Gomez’s quick actions on an emergency call saved a 2-year-old who had been choking. In a separate case, he and fellow officers conducted many hours of surveillance that led to the eventual arrest of a couple charged with trafficking fentanyl.
Southeast Region
Deputy Austin Murray
On Aug. 11 of this year, Bryan County Sheriff’s Deputy Murray responded to a domestic disturbance concerning a man in a pickup truck who had chased his fleeing wife and two children. The pickup had struck the wife’s vehicle, forcing her to crash into a tree off a highway near Achille. Murray drew his pistol as soon as the suspect, Wesley Buford, reached for a gun tucked inside his pants. Buford jumped behind his truck and the two exchanged gunfire. Murray was hit three times before he was able to get a clear shot at the suspect. Buford collapsed and surrendered shortly thereafter. Murray, who has been with the department for nearly four years, recently received the Medal of Valor from the Oklahoma Sheriffs Association.
All 44 nominees and the four regional winners will be recognized at a reception Dec. 2 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The state Officer of the Year for 2024 will be announced at that time.
