Park University’s Fishburn Archives to Narrate History of Platte County Sheriff’s Office

August 24, 2022 — Park University’s Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, and the Platte County (Mo.) Sheriff’s Office have announced a partnership to chronicle the history of the PCSO.

Park faculty and staff who assist in the University’s archives, as well as history students, will conduct research and interview individuals related to the Platte County Sheriff’s Office history. The PCSO was founded in 1839, three years after the establishment of Platte County. Between 1836 and 1839, Platte County was under the jurisdiction of the Clay County (Mo.) sheriff.

“Every day, the men and women of the sheriff’s office work tirelessly in service to our community,” said Mark Owen, Platte County sheriff. “Knowing the history of our organization is an important part of the agency’s identity. We know that there will be events that we will all be proud of and we know there will be events that we would not agree with today. I am grateful to Park University and its faculty, staff and students for their willingness to help us document our history.”

The project is anticipated to take several years to complete, with the intention to produce materials available to the public through electronic means. This endeavor is part of Park University’s commitment of service to the community and is being completed at no cost to Platte County.

Anyone who has photographs or memorabilia related to the Platte County Sheriff’s Office that can be digitally captured is asked to contact the University’s Fishburn Archives at archives@park.edu.