Fletcher PD Reserve Officer And Wife Awarded For Acts Of Heroism

A deserving couple in Southwest Oklahoma received a national award this week for their act of heroism. They took in three little boys after police in Fletcher, Oklahoma, said their mother left them wandering the streets.

The Fletcher Police Department reserve officer and his wife never thought of themselves as Hall of Famers. However, they are now, Steven and Jennifer Judson's names are forever in the American Police Hall of Fame for an act they never second-guessed.

The call came on a hot August in 2023.

“He was like you might want to get over this way right now,” said Steven Judson, Fletcher Police Department. “And I was off duty at the time.”

The Fletcher reserve officer was led to three small boys playing in the street barefoot and only wearing soiled diapers.

“I already knew these kids from previous visits there,” said Judson.

Judson said their mother Anna Labree, 31, was nowhere to be found until later in the day. The children were taken into emergency protective custody by Judson and his wife. 

“It’s honestly pretty regular for us,” said Jennifer Judson, foster parent. “Because we do a lot of emergency placements when DHS picks up kids.”

The couple already had five children in their home.

“So, with those three it made eight in the house,” said Judson. “Definitely wasn’t expecting that.”

The Judson's were not expecting an award for opening their home to the children either.

“It’s a pretty heroic act to take it upon yourself to house and feed and foster three victims,” said Chief Jason DeLonais, Fletcher Police Department. “Three small victims at that, when you already have a house full of children of your own.”

DeLonais presented the couple with commendation awards from the American Police Hall of Fame this week. The couple saw this as an opportunity to spread a message of awareness to Oklahomans.

“There are so many kids in the state of Oklahoma that have absolutely nowhere to go,” said Judson. “I hope maybe by all this some other people will open their hearts and homes to take in some kids.”

Judson was the 17th law enforcement officer in Oklahoma to be named to the American Police Hall of Fame.

Labree was charged with three counts of child neglect in Comanche County. She has pleaded guilty and waived her right to a trial. Her sentencing is set for next April.