MOORE, Okla. (KFOR) – One Moore police officer’s passion is to serve his community.
SSgt. Alan Wallace loves law enforcement but he also has another passion; percussion and teaching students at Southmoore High School.
“I’ve been here 12 years now. It’s amazing to see the kids and pass the knowledge that I have on to them and then watch them grow. I have kids now that I’ve taught. They have kids of their own, and it’s cool to see that growth and that knowledge passed through the generations,” said SSgt. Alan Wallace, with the Moore Police Department.
The Southmoore High School band has won numerous awards and SSgt. Wallace plays a big part in that success.
“I love service. I love serving my community. I love serving the people. It’s just something that I’ve always had a calling for and then this job fell right into line with that,” said Wallace.
“He’s a great educator. He has his knowledge, but the fact that he can relate to the students, he talks to the students and he cares about the kids and you cannot fake that,” said Adam Mewhorter, Southmoore High School band director.
“I’ve known him for five years now. Ever since I’ve started drumming. He’s been helping me learn what to do with the other instructors and himself, helping everybody that’s here,” said Carson Petty, a student at Southmoore High School.
SSgt. Wallace was honored by KFOR and Quail Creek Bank with the ‘Proud to Serve’ award. A $500 check was also donated to Southmoore Percussion on his behalf.
“Police officers are busy enough as it is, and then on his off time to come here to the school and dedicate years, it sounds like, to these kids and teaching percussion and just being around and being that positive influence,” said Erin Batey, Chief Communications and Innovation Officer with Quail Creek Bank.
”I’ll steal a line from him that I learned from Sgt. Wallace and I use this every chance I can is that ‘Being a good human is what’s important.’ And being a good human makes him a good police officer, not the other way around,” said Moore Chief of Police Todd Gibson.
“I’ve been saying for years because there’s some other officers that have some talents that they need to get together and start a band. And I think they should call themselves the Five O’s. I mean, it makes sense,” said Beth Wallace, Wallace’s wife.
‘Proud to Serve’ is sponsored by Quail Creek Bank.