New Durant Police Chief Jesse Petty began his duties Thanksgiving week and a reception for him was held last week at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center & Library.
Petty is no stranger to DPD and he first began serving in the late 1990s as a reserve officer before being hired full time in 2000.
He retired in 2021 after 21 years on the force and then became chief of the Choctaw Lighthorse Police Department until being hired as Durant police chief. He said he is excited about the opportunity to return to DPD and the pathway forward.
“I’ve always had a passion for law enforcement and certainly law enforcement leadership and I had the opportunity not long ago to be able to move forward in one of those positions at Choctaw Lighthorse.” Petty said. “Choctaw Lighthorse is great and Choctaw Nation was great but the opportunity arose for me to return back to Durant PD which of course, is my home department. So, with a servant heart, I felt like that was a good fit and I’m very excited and proud to be back in Durant and continue to lead that department in 21st century policing.”
Law enforcement is in Petty’s family history and his late father, Ron Petty, served with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
“I grew up around law enforcement and it just kind of got in my blood,” Petty said. “I got to sit in patrol cars as a young boy and dad took me on range day sometimes and just showed me the ropes. Really, what interested me the most when I was in college, I was working at a bank which that was a great job but I was reserving as well and being out in the field helping people and really just having a different viewpoint and different set of work goals every day out in the field serving the community was very appealing to me. I like being outdoors, so it gravitated towards full-time law enforcement.
Petty said the Durant Police Department has a great legacy that he wants to keep moving forward.
“There’s no doubt Durant PD has a great structure and a good foundation, especially with its field training and how it trains officers,” he said. “My goals are going to be community oriented. I want to make sure we foster an environment to where the community’s included on what we’re doing.”
Petty plans to focus on educating the community and on reducing property crimes that he said is one of the city’s biggest crime problems.
“So, that has a lot to do with education and us working together as a community,” Petty said. “I’m just proud to be back in Durant and looking forward to building those partnerships.”
Mayor Martin Tucker said it is exciting to have Petty not only back with the police department, but also leading the police force.
“We’re excited to have a Durant native and someone that knows the community and the people so well and we’re just excited to have the position filled.” Tucker said. “It’s been a big step for Pam Polk as new city manager, so she’s taken her time. She’s been patient. She’s been very careful and brought in a lot of other folks to help make the selection. We’re just excited to have Jesse in the role and on the job.
“They’ve all seen the city grow up and they’ve seen the population grow and he’s been involved in all of that. So, having all that knowledge is a big head start for someone who’s going to serve as chief and we’re happy to have Jesse in that role.”
Polk said Petty hit the ground running when he began his duties Nov. 25 and that he knows the city.
“He retired from the City of Durant Police Department and had been police chief at Choctaw Nation,” she said. “We were just fortunate enough to get him back and in this position. I think the City of Durant and the citizens are very fortunate to have him in this position and we’re looking forward to moving the department forward and continue what Deputy Chief Joe Clark with some of the initiatives that he started. We’re happy he’s here.”
Petty was officially sworn in as police chief during a city council meeting Tuesday evening.
