Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: June 1, 2026
Title:
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Presentation and award to Lisa Ford for her distinguished service to the City of Broken Arrow of 25 years combined service as a City employee and City Councilmember
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Background:
Lisa Ford has dedicated a significant portion of her career to serving the City of Broken Arrow and its citizens. Her service reflects a unique and commendable commitment, having contributed both as a City employee and later as an elected City Councilmember.
Throughout her tenure, Ms. Ford has demonstrated a strong dedication to public service, professionalism, and the continued growth and success of the Broken Arrow community. Her contributions have supported the City’s mission to provide high-quality services and enhance the quality of life for residents.
Prior to becoming a City Councilor in 2021, Ford spent 20 years as the Crime Prevention Specialist for the Broken Arrow Police Department. She has also worked as a Program Administrator for the Citizen's Crime Commission overseeing the Alert Neighborhood, Crime Stoppers, and Arrest Arson programs.
Her certifications include Crime Prevention through Environmental Design by the American Crime Prevention Institute in Louisville, Ky., and FBI-LEEDA Media, Public Relations, and Community Engagement Training through the University of Kentucky, and she is a Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) basic instructor.
As the Crime Prevention Specialist for BAPD, Ford coordinated the volunteer program, which grew to more than 250 volunteers during her tenure. Her efforts became a model for other police, fire, and governmental agencies. She has instructed over 100 other law enforcement agencies on how to run a successful volunteer program through the Oklahoma Regional Community Policing Institute (ORCPI). She is also a nationally certified instructor for the CARFIT program sponsored by AAA, AARP, and the National Board of Occupational Therapists.
As a representative of the BAPD, Ford forged relationships within the community through the Alert Neighborhood Program by organizing community events and activities such as Camp Bandage, the Back to School Bash, and BAPD's Night Out Against Crime.
She has coordinated 10 Citizens Police Academies (CPA) and five CPA Master Courses. Ford was a liaison for the BAPD Chaplains, Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary. She served as the administrator for BAPD social media platforms and was responsible for bringing additional funding to her crime prevention unit by writing community grants.
Community activities include serving as chair of the Make-a-Wish fundraiser and the 20-year chair of the United Way Day of Caring for the City of Broken Arrow. She is a member of various boards and committees, including the Oklahoma Buckle Down Awards and Keep Broken Arrow Beautiful. She has also served as the President of Broken Arrow Rotary, chair for Leadership Broken Arrow, board president for Broken Arrow Neighbors, and president of the Broken Arrow Senior Center. She is a former Critical Incident/Peer Support Team member with the Juvenile Accountability Group. Ford is a founding member and trustee for the Tulsa Police Officers Memorial and serves on the YMCA Board of Directors.
Ford's first elected public office came as a Union Public School's Board of Education member from 2017- 2020. As a Broken Arrow City Councilor, she's been appointed Chair of the National League of Cities-First Tier Suburbs Committee, Women in Municipal Government Board of Directors and the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Committee. She is a member of Oklahoma Women in Municipal Government, the Broken Arrow Transportation Committee, the Trash Bash and Recycling Committee, a zoning ordinance stakeholder, the Broken Arrow Tourism Committee, Advisory Committee, Oklahoma Municipal League Legislative Committee and the Leadership Circle.
As a proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Ford serves on the National League of Cities Local Indigenous Leaders caucus that brings together Indigenous municipal leaders to network and share best practices. Established within the NLC in 2023, Local Indigenous Leaders provides municipal officials, who identify and ally with Indigenous Peoples, the ability to connect with their colleagues, share ideas, and develop leadership experience. LIL also works with NLC to uplift the perspectives of Indigenous communities and educate the greater organization on historical and current issues facing Indigenous and tribal communities.
Ford and husband, State Rep. Ross Ford, have been married for over 45 years. They have two grown children and five grandchildren. When not serving the Citizens of Broken Arrow, Councilor Ford enjoys traveling, working in the yard, organizing, hanging out at the pool, and playing with her grandchildren.
Cost: n/a
Funding Source: n/a
Requested By: Kelly Cox, Human Resources Director
Approved By: City Manager’s Office
Attachments: n/a
Recommendation:
recommend
No action required.
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