Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley announces retirement: 'An incredible honor'

The Oklahoma City Police Department will need a new chief after its head official announced his retirement Friday.

Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley, 56, said he would soon be stepping away from the position, after a 34-year career with the city. He has agreed to remain employed with the department until a successor is named and the position is filled.

“Working alongside the dedicated men and women of this Police Department and serving this great community for over 34 years has been an incredible honor,” Gourley said in a statement Friday. “After my departure, I know the Police Department will continue to honor our core values by serving this City with integrity, compassion, accountability, respect and equity.”

Gourley started as a police officer in Chickasha before joining the Oklahoma City Police Department in September 1989. He was named deputy chief in 2017 and was promoted to Oklahoma City's 50th chief of police in July 2019 by City Manager Craig Freeman. Gourley oversees more than 1,230 uniformed officer positions and 413 non-sworn employees.

His time as the police chief saw significant challenges. Within less than a year of his promotion to chief, Gourley was leading the department's response to both the COVID-19 pandemic and local protests over racial injustice following the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

“I can’t thank Chief Gourley enough for his more than three decades of leadership and service to the residents of Oklahoma City,” City Manager Craig Freeman said in a statement Friday. “During his tenure as Chief, he guided the Police Department through a time of significant uncertainty and change. Through it all he has embodied the values of the Oklahoma City Police Department by leading with integrity and a commitment to serve all Oklahoma City residents.”

More: OKC police chief 'disgusted' by social media posts during protests, Nazi symbol probe

Gourley has been involved in some of the most notable evolutions in the police department's modern history. He led efforts to change the way police respond to mental health calls, expanded crisis intervention and de-escalation training for officers, and supported transparency efforts through body-worn cameras. He also revamped the entire employee wellness program, enhanced the department's use of technology with its Real Time Information Center, and prioritized community outreach to improve trust between residents and officers.

In the city’s annual resident survey, the police department and other public safety services are routinely among the highest-rated city services. For the latest 2023 survey, 91% of surveyed residents believed they were being treated fairly in interactions with Oklahoma City police officers; 69% of residents also reported being satisfied with police services, a number which researchers said was much higher than other large cities surveyed.

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt acknowledged that "managing a police department in America's 20th-largest city is an immensely challenging job" and noted the additional challenges Gourley faced in 2020. But while hundreds of police officers died of health complications from COVID-19 throughout the United States, Oklahoma City's police department "lost not a single officer," Holt said.

The mayor also highlighted Gourley's willingness to work with city council and community advocates on implementing various police reforms amid a time of widespread social unrest and criticism of law enforcement.

"When a broad spectrum of residents asked in 2020 that we have a generational conversation about some of the most challenging law enforcement issues, Chief Gourley didn’t obstruct, and was in fact an active participant," Holt said Friday in a series of tweets on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. "When the task force I appointed came forward with 39 recommendations for reform, Chief Gourley publicly stated that they were reasonable. This was a critical leadership moment and I don’t take it for granted."

A year after George Floyd's death: What has changed in Oklahoma City?

Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III, who assumed office in January 2021 as its first Black sheriff, considers Gourley a close friend and said he appreciates the mentorship the police chief has offered over the past three years.

"He was always willing to work with the Oklahoma County sheriff's office because he understood we have the same goal in mind: The safety of the people of Oklahoma County," Johnson said. "He is a selfless public servant and I am proud to call him my friend. I love my brother, Wade; I'm going to miss him in uniform, and I wish him the best in his retirement."

The city manager hires the police chief, who reports to Assistant City Manager Jason Ferbrache. A longtime administrator of the city's public transportation department, Febrache also oversees the police and fire departments, as well as law enforcement policy implementation. He called Gourley "an innovator" and "a collaborative, key partner" in moving forward with the city's Public Safety Partnership, an alliance of city agencies and community groups tasked with implementing police reforms.

“Specific to his work with the PSP, Chief Gourley has served on the steering committee and has provided complete access to his command staff and Police Department personnel,” Febrache said. “In working with Chief Gourley I have come to appreciate his leadership and commitment to our residents.”

Freeman said the city would be conducting an extensive nationwide search for a new police chief with leadership experience in modern, community policing.

"I’m confident we will attract highly qualified candidates from inside and outside the organization," Freeman said in a statement. "Choosing a Police Chief is one of the most important decisions I make as City Manager."

Gourley spent the early part of his career on patrol and as a field training officer. He then worked in investigations, administration, emergency services and the Uniform Support Division, and as a crisis negotiator, the tactical team commander and the director of training. He also developed the Leadership, Ethics and Accountability Development, or LEAD, program.

Gourley holds a bachelor's degree in police administration from The University of Oklahoma. Other notable training includes the Anti-Defamation League Advanced Training School in Extremist and Terrorist Threats, the Senior Management Institute for Police and the FBI Executive Leadership Institute. He has been a member of several law enforcement groups and local organizations, including on the board for the American Red Cross of Central & Southwest Oklahoma.

The police chief is a lifelong Oklahoma resident with roots in Ardmore, living in south Oklahoma City for most of his career. Gourley and his wife, Tracy, have two children.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City police chief to retire after 34 years