The Lake Today

In addition to running a city police department, Lake Ozark Police Chief Mark Maples spends a great deal of his time working on projects designed to make the Lake Area a safer place to live.

Maples took on the chairmanship of the Citizens Against Domestic Violence (CADV) for two reasons. His first reason is that all causes designed to prevent violence against children and women is close to his heart.

“Every police chief has their pet projects,” Maples said. “Mine is doing everything I can to stop the violence against kids and women. There is no excuse for domestic violence.”

Maples’ second reason for taking on the CADV chairmanship is a promise he made to a friend.

“When (former Osage Beach Police Chief) Dave Severson first found out he was sick he asked me to step up to the plate and see that the CADV got its new shelter built,” Maples said. “So I took on the job as chairman of the CADV for that purpose and I intend to see that it gets done.”

Severson, who passed away from cancer in July, had recently retired from the Osage Beach Police Department after serving several years in that capacity.

“Dave (Severson) took on the job of chief at Osage Beach about a year before I came to Lake Ozark and he taught me a lot about things work here at the Lake,” Maples said. “He was always there whenever I needed some advice or just somebody to use as a sounding board.”

Maples has headed up the Lake Ozark police department for six years. He took on the job of police chief after spending the early part of his career in and around St. Genevieve County in southeast Missouri. He worked in both municipal policing and as a sheriff’s deputy. He says that early experience has stood him in good stead here in the Lake Area because he and his officers have to work with both types of law enforcement in the Lake Area.

Maples said he really enjoys his job for several reasons.

“There is constant change here at the Lake. Everyday is different,” Maples said. “The things we have to handle during the summer months are completely different than the those we handle in the off season.”

And, Maples said, he likes the fact that all the various law enforcement entities in the Lake Area work so well together.

“We have great working relationship with the other city departments, the sheriff’s departments in all three counties and the Highway Patrol,” he said. “For instance, all our officers are also certified deputies for the Miller County Sheriff’s Department. That way if we have to go outside the city limits to make an arrest or stop a vehicle we can do so legally.”

And, Maples said he truly enjoys working for the Lake Ozark mayor and Board of Aldermen.

“Ever since I first came here they have given me the freedom to take the department in the direction I believe is best for the town,” Maples said. “And they have always been supportive about making sure we have the kind of equipment. They can’t always afford to purchase everything we’d like to have, but they make sure we have enough to do the job right.”

In addition to working with the CADV, Maples is also on the board of Kid’s Harbor, an organization that provides shelter and counseling to abused children, and Maples is also a member of the Lake Ozark Rotary and works with the Candyland an organization that raises money to provide school supplies and Christmas gifts to underprivileged children in the Lake Area.

In addition to his work with community organizations, Maples has also started an internal association within the department. Called the Lake Ozark Police and Dispatchers Benevolent Association, Maples started the group to insure that his officers continue to show support for each other as well as the community as a whole.

“We raised enough money to purchase portable breath testers for each of the officers after we had used up all our city budget on other equipment,” Maples said. “And we’ve raised money for various causes or volunteered our services at a number of community events.”

Maples and wife, Misti, have two children 18-year-old Morgan and 13-year-old Max, and Maples said the entire family thoroughly enjoys living at the Lake.

Morgan, now a college student, is a graduate of School of the Osage where Max is currently a middle school student.

“The kids really like it here,” Maples said. “The school district is one of the best in the state and provides a well balanced atmosphere for its students.”

Maples said if he has one major fault its that he spend too much time at the office and can’t resist “checking in” even on his day off. But when he isn’t working, he likes to spend his time on the water.

“I’m just like everybody else here,” Maples said. “One of the things that drew me to the area is that I can be out on the Lake fishing or boating within a few minutes, whenever I have a little free time.”