32-Year Veteran Selected As OKC's Newest Chief Of Police

The Oklahoma City Police Department is officially under new leadership.

A months-long search led them to Deputy Chief Ron Bacy who has three decades of experience. Bacy was named on Friday the city’s 51st Chief of Police. 

The newly appointed chief said he was humbled to be given the opportunity to lead what he considers the best police department in the country.

A room full of law enforcement and supporters welcomed the 51st Chief of Police to the podium. Chief Ron Bacy thanked outgoing Chief Wade Gourley for his leadership over the last five years.

“We are light years ahead of where we were prior to your leadership,” said Chief Ron Bacy, Oklahoma City Police Department.

Bacy said his first priority in office is to build relationships with his officers and the community.

“You can’t move forward if you don’t have those established relationships and hear the voices and the needs,” said Bacy.

Bacy beat out 23 candidates for the Chief of Police job. City Manager Craig Freeman said Bacy came out on top because of his experience, community engagement and department values.

“Integrity, compassion, accountability, respect and equity,” said Craig Freeman, City of Oklahoma City. “Ron Bacy epitomizes those equities.”

Bacy plans to continue the work the Public Safety Partnership started under Gourley on improving mental health crisis response and supporting officer recruitment efforts.

“I stated this earlier this isn’t a job, this isn’t a career, this is a calling,” said Bacy. “You have to have the right people with the right heart who want to serve the community and do this job and you have to filter through a lot of things to determine who those people are." 

Bacy was promoted from Deputy Chief of the investigation unit. He said filling that opening will be one of his first decisions.