Nonprofit to honor OKC police chief with Jim McGuiness Award
Local nonprofit A Chance to Change will honor Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty with the Jim McGuiness Award during its annual Celebration of Recovery, 6:30 p.m. March 28 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
“Chief Citty is passionate about helping find solutions to the devastating effects of addictive diseases and mental illness in our community,” Candice Hillenbrand, director of Community Engagement for A Chance to Change. “He knows firsthand these diseases do not discriminate. The crippling effects are felt in every neighborhood on every street. Solutions such as prevention and intervention programs and services can help families heal long before the pain of addiction and the vicious cycle of untreated
mental illness begins.”
In his 15 years as police chief, Citty is credited with establishing the nation’s only Joint Fire and Police Mobile Command Unit, the independent Citizens Advisory Board and the Victims’ Assistance Program. In his efforts to improve and augment community outreach and policing strategies, Citty introduced policy changes that have reduced officer and citizen involved accidents, and he implemented deescalation procedures with increased scenariobased training.
Under Citty’s direction, the police department increased community outreach including through joint initiatives, including the Family Awareness and Community
Teamwork, the Police and Community Trust, Division Quarterly Community meetings, Coffee with a Cop, and partnership with Municipal Courts for the Juvenile Intervention Program.
Citty was recognized by the NAACP for creation of Citizens Advisory Board.
He has received the Board of Director’s Award from Neighborhood Alliance, the Public Service Award from the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue and the Outstanding Amigo Appreciation Award from the Governor’s Council on Latin American and Hispanic
Affairs.
“My commitment to this community and police department are a result of what I learned from my parents, even though my father was an alcoholic and my mother suffered from a mental health disease. What I’ve learned from their afflictions, as well as my son's addiction, has helped me empathize and understand many of the major community issues our law enforcement officers deal with every day,” Citty said.
A Chance to Change works with individuals and families dealing with addiction, mental illness,
depression, anxiety, daily stress or grief through education classes, workshops and prevention programs. No one is turned away for inability to pay.
As the agency’s leading fundraising event, the Celebration of Recovery spotlights individuals and families who have made a difference in the lives of those struggling from addiction and mental health disorders.
Admission to Celebration of Recovery is $150. Sponsorships also are available. Go online to http://achancetochange. org for tickets and information.