Nick Payne has been appointed as the new Chief of Police for the Tonkawa Police Department, City Manager Kirk Henderson has announced.
“Nick has shown great leadership potential and is community oriented. He will be a big asset to the city as chief,” Henderson said.
Nick is a 1999 graduate of Ponca City High School. Soon after High School, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Shortly following his military service, he sought to follow his calling in the profession of law enforcement.
Nick began as a Reserve Police Officer, at the Tonkawa Police Department, in 2003. Later, he became a Full-Time Certified Peace Officer in 2005. He left to work with the Fort Oakland Police Department, in 2011, but returned to Tonkawa P.D. in 2015. Nick has worked in many areas of law enforcement to include: Patrol, Community Relations, Training, Tactical Response Elements, Investigations, Narcotics, and has even been attached to the 8th District Major Crimes Unit-Drug Task Force for the last three-years. This Statewide Law Enforcement Commission has allowed Payne to continue to pursue criminals and major investigations, not only in Tonkawa but, throughout the State of Oklahoma. In 2018, Nick was named Narcotics Agent/Officer of the Year by [the] Association of Oklahoma Narcotics Enforcers (AONE).
Nick has worked closely with local, state, tribal, federal and international law enforcement agencies throughout his career. He has been awarded the Lifesaving Medal in 2006 and Officer of the year (in 2017 and 2018). Payne holds a vast number of certifications such as: Council on Law Enforcement Education & Training (CLEET) Advanced Instructor, Certified Cognitive and Forensic Interviewer, Master TASER Instructor Certification, Advanced SWAT Operator Certification, Air/Helicopter Operations Certified, Reserve Academy Coordinator Certification, etc.
Nick is married to Mikea Payne and have three children who attend or have graduated from Tonkawa Public Schools. Nick has a special emphasis on community policing and makes it a focus for officers to have a professional and respectful relationship with Tonkawa citizens, businesses, and schools. “I am humbly honored and excited to lead this agency, its officers, and civilian personnel into the future and carry out our mission to provide protection, safety and security to the citizens and visitors of Tonkawa and their rights & property, therein.” Nick says, “this appointment has been a dream of mine for such a long time and I vow to ensure that the officers [and I] continue to serve with pride, respect, integrity,
