The City is honoring the life and service of former Overland Park Police Chief Myron E. Scafe, who passed away this week.
Scafe was Overland Park’s longest-serving police chief, from 1971-1995. Prior to leading the department, Scafe made his way up through the ranks of the Overland Park Police Department.
Scafe’s service to the community predates the City of Overland Park. He served as a police officer for the Mission Township police department starting in 1954 – years before the area was incorporated as Overland Park in 1960.
During his time as chief, Scafe saw major population growth in the community and the need for his department to evolve.
“We developed a reputation in the national law enforcement community of being a progressive police department,” Scafe said in a 2016 interview with the Overland Park Fire Department. “We developed a staff that was very diverse and it made for a great working relationship in the community. We had a great rapport with the community.”
Scafe oversaw the law enforcement response to major Overland Park historical events, including a 1968 bank robbery and bombing of Overland Park City Hall, and the 1985 line-of-duty death of Overland Park Police Officer Deanna Hummel Rose.
“Chief Scafe’s leadership was instrumental in building the Overland Park we know and love today,” said Mayor Curt Skoog. “Our community is known as one of the safest places to live in part because of the framework he established that allowed our world-class public safety services to grow with the community. I thank him and his family for their service to Overland Park.”
Chief Scafe was a pioneer in the policing field,” said Interim Police Chief Simon Happer. “He helped build the Overland Park Police Department into the great department it is, and his legacy will live on.”
Information about funeral services is forthcoming.
To learn more about Chief Scafe’s service, watch the video below.