Chief

Mayor Kathy Taylor appointed Ron Palmer to Chief of Police on August 31, 2007. Chief Palmer has been a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma since 1992 and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Personnel Administration from Avila College, Kansas City Missouri and a Masters Degree in Security from Central Missouri State University, Warrenburg, Missouri. Ron Palmer began his law enforcement career in 1971 as a uniformed patrol officer with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. He promoted through the ranks, serving the citizens of Kansas City in various divisions and assignments, including the rank of Major, commanding the Personnel and Benefits Division. In 1990, Ron Palmer served as the Chief of Police with the Portsmouth, Virginia Police Department. Palmer policed an extremely diverse population of 104,000 and was responsible for the patrol, investigative, and administrative staff of 283 employees.

Ron Palmer became a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1992 when he was hired as the Chief of Police for the Tulsa Police Department. Chief Palmer was an active member of the Tulsa community, serving in various capacities in many organizations which include, Vice-President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Domestic Violence Intervention Services Advocate of the year in 1998, and served on several local non-profit boards. Chief Palmer has demonstrated leadership in the areas of minority recruiting/hiring, domestic violence prevention, sexual assault, and traffic safety resulting in awards and recognition from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Ford Foundation. Chief Palmer spent 10-years with the Tulsa Police Department before leaving in 2002 to embark upon the start of his own business, Palmer Security Consulting.