Franken Named SPD Officer of the Year

Justin Franken was named the Sedalia Police Department’s Officer of the Year Tuesday night during the SPD’s annual awards ceremony, held at First United Methodist Church, 916 Thompson Blvd.

Officer Franken, who has worked at the department since 2018, received many awards Tuesday night, but the officer of the year award is the most special.

“I’m excited. I’m honored. I’m humbled,” Ofc. Franken responded when asked how he felt about receiving the award from Chief David Woolery.

He added that he works with a great bunch of great officers. “It’s a good community,” he said.

Ofc. Franken, who works the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift, makes a special effort to remove intoxicated drivers from the roadway. For those thinking about drinking and driving, Franken has one piece of advice. “Call a ride. It’s not worth it,” he said.

“It’s much cheaper to call a taxi. Call a ride. Call somebody,” Ofc. Franken stressed.

When asked if he feels a lot of job satisfaction from pursuing DWI drivers, Franken explained his position.

“So the thing about DWIs is, you’ll never know how many lives you’ve actually affected. But you know you’ve affected some, because regardless, you don’t know what you prevent (from happening).” Franken told KSIS.

“One of my greatest pleasures as chief of police is to be able to present and ultimately select the SPD officer of the year. Ofc. Franken has been an instrumental part of the department in 2025 … His dedication, expertise and willingness to go above and beyond make him a valued member of the department.,” Woolery said.

“His exceptional productivity, initiative and impact on public safety throughout the year” make him the natural choice for the award, “with sustained commitment to proactive enforcement, professional development, and the protection of the community,” Chief Woolery said in his introduction of Franken.

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Woolery went on to note that Franken conducted 1,042 traffic stops, resulting in 193 arrests, 117 of those were for DWI.

“This level of enforcement places Officer Franken among the top DWI Enforcement officers in the state of Missouri and presents a substantial contribution to roadway safety by removing impaired drivers before serious injuries or loss of life could occur," Chief Woolery said of Franken.