Oklahoma City Names Ron C. Bacy as New Police Chief After Rigorous Search

Oklahoma City has appointed Ron C. Bacy as its new police chief, promoting him from within the department's ranks following a six-month nationwide search. Bacy, a 32-year veteran of the force, brings a wealth of experience and a personal commitment to community service to his new role.

Bacy’s journey to becoming the 51st police chief of Oklahoma City was unexpected. Despite a challenging encounter with police in his youth, a positive interaction with an officer during his college years inspired him to join the force instead of pursuing law school. The pivotal moment led to his long-standing commitment to law enforcement, with Bacy aiming to serve the community with empathy and respect.

“I am extremely humbled by the city leadership's confidence in me,” Bacy said on his first day as chief. “Every position I’ve held in my career led me here, but that was never the plan starting out — I just wanted to serve my community.”

Bacy’s career with the Oklahoma City Police Department began in 1992. His first post was patrolling the streets of OKC’s Springlake Division. Over the years, he has held numerous leadership positions, including Lieutenant in the Santa Fe and Springlake patrol divisions, where he supervised field training officers and the Emergency Response Team. He later served as an on-call public information officer and held roles in the Training and Special Investigations divisions.

In 2010, Bacy became a captain, overseeing the Operations Bureau, Investigations Bureau, and the Office of Professional Standards. He was promoted to Major in 2019, eventually taking on responsibilities in Operations Administration before his appointment as Deputy Chief in 2021.

City Manager Craig Freeman, who led the hiring process, emphasized the importance of finding a chief skilled in both management and community-based policing strategies. The search process involved input from over 50 community members, including church leaders, mental health professionals, and representatives from marginalized communities.

Bacy’s deep involvement in community initiatives and policy development closely aligns with the city's priorities. He has served on the Oklahoma City Law Enforcement Policy Task Force and the Oklahoma City Community Policing Working Group, among other organizations.

Bacy says he will remain involved in ongoing community initiatives and will place importance on understanding different perspectives. “It’s important to try to find those people who are not heard and give them a voice,” he said. “We need to listen and figure out what we can do as a police department to better serve them in their community.”

Bacy says his first order of business will be to hire his replacement as Deputy Chief and any subsequent internal promotions.

His appointment marks the next phase for the Oklahoma City Police Department, in which he plans to build transformational relationships in the community to continue the department’s recent success.