Red Oak Optimists Club honors Drue Powers

Former Red Oak Police Chief Drue Powers was recognized with the Don Maher Memorial Hall of Fame award during Red Oak’s National Night Out ceremony Aug. 1.
The award is named after Maher, who is a charter member of the Optimists, a former Red Oak Police chief, and the first recipient of the award. The award is given to a selected member of law enforcement who served their community, and in most cases, retired from such service.
Powers’ career in law enforcement began in 1979, when he was first sworn in as a peace officer with the Griswold Police Department. Over the years, Powers served in a full or part-time basis as a peace officer and deputy with the Griswold Police Department, Villisca Police Department, Red Oak Police Department, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office as a chief deputy. Powers then returned to the Red Oak Police Department in 2005 as police chief, a position he served in until 2016. He closed out his law enforcement career as a United States Marshall for the Southern District of Iowa from 2016-2021.
Powers said he had an inkling he was going to be honored, but wasn’t sure for what, and was very grateful for the nomination.
“I kind of had an idea that something was going on, when Dan Crouse asked for a bio from me. I mean, who wants the resume of a person that’s been completely retired for two years? But, it is an honor to be included with the many names that are on that plaque, as well as that of Don Maher, who the award is named after. He was a good man, and I had the opportunity to meet him on a few occasions,” Powers said.