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Sheriff Mark Owen started with the Platte County Sheriff’s Department in 1979 and after working his way through the ranks was elected as Platte County Sheriff in 2012, and is now serving his third term as the Platte County Sheriff. While providing law enforcement services to the citizens his office also operates a 180 bed detention facility, provides security services to the court house and courts, provides dispatching services to 24 police, fire, and ambulance agencies and is responsible for emergency preparedness and animal control for the county.  

Sheriff Owen was born in Lawrence, Kansas and moved with his family to the Kansas City area in 1967.  After high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps where he received an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps Then pursuing his lifelong dream of a career in law enforcement, Mark accepted a Reserve Police Officer position with the Weatherby Lake Police Department in 1977 and has also attended both the Kansas City Missouri Police and Fire Academy’s.

Sheriff Owen has received numerous awards both locally and regionally including the prestigious Clarence Kelly Award and the Mid America Regional Council Regional Leadership Award. He is an active member of the community and serves on many state, regional and local law enforcement committees including the State of Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, President of the Kansas City Metro Squad Board, President Kansas City MOWIN Narcotics Task Force, Board Member Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, Kansas City Urban Area Homeland Security Policy committee, Co-chair of the Kansas City Regional Communications Board, Region 5 Representative of the Missouri Sheriff’s Association, Past Chair of the Kansas City Area Maritime Security Committee, Past President of Region 7 International Association of Emergency Managers, Board Member for the State of Missouri MODEX Law Enforcement Committee, Member of the State of Missouri Sheriff Methamphetamine Relief Taskforce Board, and an Internationally Certified Emergency Manager.  

Sheriff Owen and his wife, Linda, have three children, five grandchildren and live in the Parkville Missouri area.