PEOPLE
Law enforcement officer puts experience to work in classroom BY MALLORY JONES, CHICKASAW NATION MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
SAYRE— When Chickasaw citizen Sarah Pierce decided to pursue law enforcement as a career, eventually becoming an educator wasn’t what she expected. But she couldn’t be happier with where she’s landed. Through her journey as a police officer and later a detective, Pierce has employed her knowledge of law enforcement and applied it to her current role — criminal justice instructor for Western Technology Center at Sayre. Pierce, 50, is originally from Norman. She graduated from Norman North High and attended the University of Oklahoma where she received her bachelor’s degree in law enforcement administration. Law had always interested Pierce. But it was her time at OU that sparked a different interest under the umbrella of law. “I really wanted to become an attorney,” she said. “I thought that that would be what I wanted to do until I took a police administration class.” After taking that class, Pierce waded into law enforcement. She took a job as a clerk with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office. There, she was placed anywhere she was needed. Whether it was in the wards or in the lab, helping develop pictures. “I learned how to work with people,” she said. “And I learned what the scope of law enforcement really was. Doing that while in college was really important because it gave me on the job experience.” After graduating from OU, Pierce worked as a drug enforcement administration task force secretary for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 44 ion Oklahoma MAY/JUNE 2021
Sarah Pierce
Taking that position ended up being a turning point in her life. She met an Edmond police officer who shared the news that a patrolman position was open. Pierce applied and was hired, solidifying her choice to pursue law enforcement. “Taking that leap and being willing to do something that wasn’t that immediate next step was something that set me up for what changed my life,” she said of her time with the DEA.
