St. Marys police officer overcomes challenges to serve community

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - There’s more than meets the eye when you encounter one Saint Marys police officer.

Officer Lisa Davis is well-known in the community she serves, but what’s lesser known is what it took to get there.

Law enforcement was a childhood dream cut down by a series of failed foot surgeries that eventually let to the removal of part of her leg.

“Once my leg was amputated in about 2013, about two years later I lost a friend that was very, very close to me who was a retired police officer," Davis said.

"So instead of sitting around and being on disability I decided I was going to undertake getting into law enforcement.”

She got in and hit the ground running. Now she’s a patrol officer specializing in narcotics and animal rescue.

“This is life for me. A lot of the guys when I got into law enforcement had no idea I had one leg until I had been in and on the road for several months," she said.

A recent infection meant Davis would need another surgery, more of her leg removed, and learning the how to use all new prosthetics.

She figured she’d push on - like she always had.

She never expected how much her department and her community would pull her through.

St. Marys Police Chief Derek Cid said, “She’s not fighting this battle alone. You know there’s 10 officers in this department, she has nine other people helping her fight this battle.”

A few weeks ago Davis’s tight-knit department threw a cookout fundraiser to help with medical costs.

“Support from my department has been incredible,” she said. “Anything I need I can call these guys.”

Chief Cid said, “I’ve lived in St. Marys eight years and even I was taken aback of how strongly the community just took Lisa under their wing.”

Now the only thing keeping her from getting back out on patrol is a visit to a treatment center in Texas, to fit a new prosthetic leg.

“Like I told my guys before the fundraiser," Davis said.

"I don’t care if I have to sleep in my truck to get in and get seen. I feel like I need to be back out on the road. I need to be back working with my department, my guys, my community.”

Davis said treatment at the facility was slowed down by COVID-19. She says she’s one of the first people on the list to be fitted for a new leg when the facility begins seeing more patients.

Her community is continuing the support. A benefit event has been organized on October 3rd. You can find out more about the Dig it For Davis Sand Volleyball Benefit by clicking here.

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