March 6, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 24

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y Serving ; Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Saturday, March 6, Assistant Elk City Police Chief set to retire By Shonda Little After three decades of service, Elk City Assistant Police Chief Ken- nie Shirey is hanging up his hat. For almost all of his adult life, the Elk City Police Department has been his home away from home. Few living people have worked ev- ery facet of the police department in the way Shirey has. Now, with Abby Gilmer and Ty Morgan. his last day looming in the future on October 1, he is both excited to enjoy his life in retirement while knowing he is going to miss serving the community of Elk City. Shirey is a western Oklahoma boy at heart. He grew up in Canute and graduated from their high school in 1979. He and his wife Cathy Recent graduate aspires always intended to make their home close to family and raise their children within the rustic red dirt of their youths. His path to the police department wasn’t immediate. to business ownership “Iworked in the oilfield and then worked as a carpenter for Cathy's dad for eight years,” Shirey recounted. By Shonda Little In 1991, a patrol position at the Elk City Police Department opened up and Shirey decided to take the plunge. For 2020 Elk City graduate Ty Morgan, his start-up business “That was in 1991,” he said. “It was something I had always want- Psychotic Detailing is more than a name — it’s a mantra. ed to do. [hadn't grown up with family in law enforcement or been “[ get very intense about my detailing jobs. I go crazy on it. I around it, but I kinda had that interest. I had been helping for a year Kennie Shirey see every job as a new challenge and I want to rise to that chal as a reserve officer volunteering” lenge and do my best to return a car back to factory condition,” Because of his time as a reserve officer, Shirey wasn’t coming into of the nature of that situation. As a detective, though, you know that you are likely going to start the investigation and could end he said, the new work completely unaware of how the department or law Morgan has always had an intense passion for detail. As a ju- up giving testimony at a trial. You get to see the resolution,” Shirey nior high student, he taught himself how to rebuild computers. enforcement functioned. stated, Soon, he learned to build new machines from the ground up. For the next decade, he burned his candle at both ends working Detectives also field every type of criminal complaint and no two ‘That drive has now carried on to his detailing business. on patrol. “On patrol, you see every aspect of life. Within the police depart- days are the same. ‘Aworker bee from the jump, Morgan has always carried a job, ment, patrol interacts most directly with the community. Yes, some- to walk just You don’t know what call is going to come in or what is going through the door,” he said. “We don’t get to decide what we even before he was 16. He got his start in the workforce at Elk times it is seeing terrible car accidents or crimes, but you are also City’s Golf Course and has often held more than one job while out with all the citizens. Being on patrol really lets you see many want to work on that day. You just have to serve the community. We worked everything from homicides to child abuse to check fraud. also going to school. Though only 20-years-old, he has already perspectives,” Shirey explained. earned supervisor roles. In approximately 2001, Shirey made his first career shift within You can’t pick and choose what you want to do. Every victim de- serves their case to be worked,” Shirey said. “[m currently working at AT&T in sales and I am the night the Elk City Police Department. He took a position as a detective. closer. I have keys to the store, so they trust me to lock up. I try Shirey admitted that working child abuse cases were often the to give my best at that every day and they make sure I always While currently, the force has four detectives, during that time, they most difficult. But even as he faced that, he made an effort to sepa- have at least 40 hours. I am off normally on Tuesdays and Sun- had three. rate the worst of it from his family life. days,” Morgan explained. “I don’t really know how to explain every difference between the “Sometimes it was hard, but I didn't take work home with me,” he While most young people his age would indulge in their time two. There were a lot of things I missed about being on patrol. [liked said. “I had to leave that at the office. I was committed to working. having that more direct contact with the community, but being a de- off for relaxing, Morgan spends his focused on his side hustle ‘We all were. I had a family at home and I loved being with them. It with Psychotic Detaili tective had different rewarding elements. The main thing, the main isn’t always easy, but you have to leave that at the office and have benefit, is that as a detective you get to see a case through from start “Thave always liked things really clean and in order. My truck to finish. While working on patrol, a lot of times you just make an your separate life with your family.” is always clean and my girlfriend Abby's vehicle is, too. But then arrest, and then it is turned over to others to see to the end because See Retire page 2. Tsaw a guy on YouTube who was detailing this really nasty car and it just amazed him how he transformed it. I knew I could do that,” he stated. Elk City High School graduate named Morgan started saving any extra money to invest in car resto- ration equipment. “ve been doing this for about six to eight months,” Mor- gan recounted. “The first thing I bought was a pressure washer. director of renowned Tahoe cancer facility Abby and I went 50/50 on that. Then I got a carpet evacuator, brushes, and all-purpose cleaners. Just with that, I could really detail a car, but I wanted to keep taking it to the next level. Just It seems only fitting that Baden would now be heading up Up- in these few months, my equipment is already so much nicer. I shaw’s final gift to humanity. ‘want to hurry and be as fast as possible and efficient. Having the “He died of pancreatic cancer and made a large endowment to the best equipment is part of that.” Tahoe Forest Medical System to create this facility and advance the Rather than pocketing the money he makes on each client, he continues to roll it back into his business with the aspirations of science of treating and defeating cancer. [had myfirst day on the job continued expansion. last week and am so inspired to keep that legacy alive. It speaks vol- Starting a new business for such a young man is not without umes about his character and generosity that, even in death, he was thinking of prolonging the lives of so many people that he would alearning curve, though. He laughs now, looking back on some of the lessons he has learned. never know. Not only will Ibe serving as director here, but Iwill also “One of the first cars that I did, I only charged $35 and it was be developing a second cancer center at Tahoe South. It will not be named in Upshaw’s honor as his endowment will continue to help in pretty bad shape,” Morgan recalled. “Still, it was the price that I quoted her, andI wanted to do a good job. I spent at least eight this place flourish, but we will work in tandem. Already I have made hours on that. It was tan cloth and that is one of the hardest to a ton of friendships with my new work colleagues and am excited to get things out of. By the time I had used all my cleaning see where this journey takes us,” Baden explained. See Detailing page 2. Baden’s journey to the new director's position has been packed full of pit stops and detours. Ever the adventurer, he allows life’s changing headwinds to take him where it seems it wants him to go. After high school, he promptly moved to Oklahoma City and em- barked on a successful first career in the restaurant industry. “I loved waiting tables and then moving into management. In a Derek Baden, hands out over 1,000 pounds lot of ways, the medical field and the restaurant industry are similar in that no two days are the same, you have to think on your feet and of turkey and ham to his staff in Coos Bay for hard work gets you ahead. But I also knew that I wanted to complete Thanksgiving. Courtesy photo. my education and see what else was out there,” he said. In 2010, while working as a manager at a famed Midtown restau- rant, Baden completed his BSN in nursing from the University of By Shonda Little Central Oklahoma. Ever the workhorse, he plunged into two nurs- ing jobs while maintaining at least one shift as a manager at the Back in 1999 when Derek Baden was graduating from Elk City restaurant. High School, the skinny brainiac was known as much for his dry wit “Our goal when my wife Shannon had our daughter Hannah was and ornery shenanigans as he was for his sky-high 1Q. for her to be able to stay home and focus as much of her efforts into “Oh, I think it might have been hard for some of my teachers to raising her and giving her all the support she needed. I want to be foresee me working in such a serious field where patients are often clear — Shannon does as much or more work than I do. Neither of facing the biggest battles of their lives,” Baden stated. “But laughter us wanted to be the parents who were just plopping the kid down in can still be some of the best medicine — thatis, as long as it is paired front of the television. We also wanted to be heavily involved in the with new medical advancements, state-of-the-art treatments, and civic activities of whatever community we lived in. Shannon puts in hands-on patient care and compassion. That's our goal at the Gene at least 30 hours a week as a professional volunteer and that does Upshaw Cancer Center.” not include what she has always done at Hannah's schools. We both Like Baden, Upshaw was a standout in his field — only in Up- recognized the expansive ways that we as a family can help whatever shaw’s case that was quite literally the football field. The common- community we are in. So in a lot of ways, Shannon's work is as or alities between the Elk City native and the NFL Hall of Famer are more important than mine because it's the work that has no fund- many. Upshaw was aggressive as both an offensive guard for the ing for a paycheck. It’s doing the things for at-risk kids who wouldn’t Oakland Raiders and as the head of the players union. Baden also get it elsewhere or making sure the food pantries are stocked. And gives 100% as a champion for his patients and his staff. See Baden page 2. Vol. 119, No. 19 «OLA Ut Weather tomorrow 146 75 cents, 8 pgs. 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