Vian’s Board of Trustees voted to appoint Buddy Hunt as a certified police chaplain for the Vian Police Department during their June 17 regular monthly meeting.

Vian Police Chief Mark Harkins said Hunt will be the Vian Police Department’s first staffed department Chaplin, which is a non-paid position.

“He is the only staffed Chaplin in a municipality in Sequoyah County that I am aware of,”Harkins said.

Harkins said Hunt has been in ministry since 1977 and served in almost every role possible. Hunt previously served as a large department police Chaplin and has been awarded honors by the Oklahoma Chiefs of Police Association.

“Buddy will serve in critical and high stress incidents, assist in death notifications to family members, and serve as liaison and a bridge to assist officers, victims, witnesses, and the accused in a support role of emotional and mental health services,” Harkins said. “This is something I promised to the officers when I came to work here,” Harkins continued, “And I’m excited to offer this resource to them and the community while moving the department in the direction of elite status.”

The trustees approved to move officer Kaitlyn Sanders’s employment status from parttime to full-time during the meeting; and also approved the full-time employment of Robert Rice.

Other agenda items ap- proved during the meeting were:

• The engagement letter from Robert St. Pierre, CPA, PC, for FY 2023-24 audit

• Police and fire department reports

• All other reports for the previous month

This news story is based on the unofficial minutes from the board meeting and could be in error if the minutes are changed prior to adoption.