Former Oklahoma City police chief dies

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Former Oklahoma City Police Chief and City Councilman I.G. Purser died Saturday after a long battle with cancer. He was 77. <br/><br/>Purser started working for the Oklahoma City Police

Sunday, July 4th 2004, 11:20 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Former Oklahoma City Police Chief and City Councilman I.G. Purser died Saturday after a long battle with cancer. He was 77.

Purser started working for the Oklahoma City Police Department in 1953 and worked his way up to police chief in 24 years with the department.

Fellow police officer and friend J.C. McCrite described Purser as ``an extremely hard worker.''

``I can tell you when I was riding in patrol cars and he was riding motorcycles (for the Police Department) and it was as cold as the dickens, he'd get in my car and only warm up for a few minutes before getting back out there,'' McCrite said. ``He loved doing his job.''

As police chief, Purser regularly dealt with civil rights protests, and he always handled them with professionalism and respect, his wife, Maxine Purser, said.

Friends and neighbors encouraged I.G. Purser to run for the Ward 1 City Council seat in 1985, and he easily won the election. He was re-elected for a second term.

Services are pending with Resthaven Funeral Home in Oklahoma City.