Community outreach has been at the forefront of David Catron’s brief tenure as chief of the Kingfisher Police Department.

“We started a program here to get more community-oriented and do more community policing,” said Catron on Thursday when he spoke to the Kingfisher Lions Club.

“I told our guys when we had our meetings to ‘get out of your cars, talk with people, visit people, let them know you’re here for them,’” Catron said.

Of course that wasn’t easy early on.

In his 27th year on the force, Catron was appointed chief on March 4 after Dennis Baker retired.

It was just a few days later that the country began a widespread shutdown due to COVID-19.

“I had 13 officers who were scared to stop anyone,” he said, noting all the uncertainty surrounding the virus as it first began to hit the United States.

Catron said the department had to make some policy changes “to allow us to do our job.”

There was another development during that time that led to Catron urging officers to continue to involve themselves in the community.

Black Lives Matter. While there was no local civil unrest or demonstrations, Catron said he spoke with local leaders of the black community - and even a woman who lodged a complaint against the department - about the perception of the police department.

“Are they scared?” he asked. “Will they call us when they need us?”

Black Lives Matter.

Those conversations and Catron’s own desire helped lead to furthering the department’s footprint in the community.

One of the programs Catron holds dear is entering its second year: Christmas With a Cop.

After fundraisers and donations are collected, officers and the department’s wives’ auxiliary take qualifying youth Christmas shopping for their families.

“It was an eye-opening experience for our officers, their spouses and hopefully for the children,” Catron said of the 2019 drive, which was the first year.

The department is currently selling t-shirts and raising funds for this year’s event.