OCPD Holds Blood Drive In Honor Of Oklahoma Co. Deputy Injured In Line Of Duty

The Oklahoma City Police Department held its first blood drive of the year Wednesday. 

The event was held in honor of an Oklahoma County deputy who was critically injured in a shooting while on duty last year. 

Dep. Mark Johns with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office never thought he would be the one to say “thank you” to donors. 

Johns greeted fellow officers while they donated blood in a conference room at the department’s downtown Oklahoma City headquarters.

“Just wanted to tell you thank you for giving blood today,” John said.

The veteran law officer was able to attend the event thanks to someone who sat in a donor chair for an hour.

“Taking an hour out of your life, out of your day,” Johns said. “Could be so important to an hour in someone else’s life.”

Johns received one liter of donated blood in August 2022 after he was shot while in the line of duty. 

A bullet hit a major artery in his groin. The other bullets took the life of his co-worker and best friend Sgt. Bobbie Swartz.

“That was a bad day,” Johns said.

The Oklahoma Blood Institute and its donors helped turn that bad day into a miracle and countless others.

“Every one donation can impact up to three lives of patients from the hospitals,” Emma Meyer with the Oklahoma Blood Institute said. “So, we’re looking at the impact today of 150 here in our local hospitals who are going to benefit from this blood drive.”

As for Johns, he is still on the road to recovery.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Johns said. “God’s giving me strength every day.”

Johns was thankful for the show of law officers at the lifesaving event.

 “I know that’s what Oklahoman’s are about,” Johns said.  

Oklahoma City Police will hold three additional blood drives this year, and the public can visit OBI.org for other locations to donate.