Residents Outraged as Entire Police Department of Small Oklahoma Town Suddenly Resigns: ‘A Danger to the Citizens’

Residents of Geary, a small Oklahoma town with a population of around 1,000, expressed anger and frustration following the abrupt resignation of the entire four-member police force on Thursday. The officers resigned en masse, leaving the community without its police department and prompting concerns about safety.

A resident, Sonja Luquette, voiced her dissatisfaction, stating, “We don’t have much of a city anymore.” An anonymous resident echoed her sentiments, telling Fox affiliate KOKH-TV, “A city without its police force is a danger to the town’s citizens.” They further alleged, “When I tell you misconduct and corruption is happening in the town of Geary, that is exactly what’s happening. Sadly, it’s come to this.”

Former Police Chief Alicia Ford handed in her resignation on Thursday. Facebook / Geary Police Department

The mass resignation was announced in a social media post by former police chief Alicia Ford, who did not provide specific reasons for the departure. “It is with great sadness that I and the other Geary police officers will no longer be serving this community,” Ford wrote. “But it was the right decision for me and the other officers.”

Following the resignations, the city council hired a consultant to investigate the police department, who has now been named interim chief. JJ Stitt, the new interim chief, confirmed to KOKH that he was initially brought on as a consultant before stepping into the leadership role. “The other night, I was given the information that, ‘Hey. We may have a problem at the police department. We’re going to need somebody to step up. Is it a possibility for you?’ I was hesitant at first,” he said. Stitt admitted that he was “not fully aware” of the reasons behind the officers’ sudden

The interim police chief insisted it will be “business as usual” in the small town. Facebook / Geary Police Department

resignations.

Geary resident Tatum Wigington raised concerns about the situation, stating, “If this isn’t an emergency, then what is?” Wigington pointed out that the acting interim chief was hired to audit the police department before being appointed to lead it, calling the situation “a little suspicious.”

In addition to the police force resignations, two members of the Geary City Council, Rocky Coleman and Kristy Miller, also stepped down on Thursday. Coleman cited a misalignment with the city’s current direction in his resignation letter. “Ever since I’ve lived here, it’s been one drama after another, and it worries me for this town like we should be building up, not falling,” Luquette lamented.

The small town is reeling after the wave of departures. Facebook / Geary Police Department

Residents call for transparency and accountability, emphasising the need to identify and resolve the underlying issues within the town’s leadership. “We need to figure out what the problem is, and we need to fix it. It needs to be fixed, and it needs to start at the top,” Luquette said.

In the meantime, law enforcement support for Geary will come from the Blaine County and Canadian County Sheriff’s Office. Stitt reassured residents, stating, “It’s not doomsday here. We’re taking care of business. It’s business as usual.” The City of Geary could not be immediately reached for comment.

Sola Adeniji

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