The Oklahoma Secretary of Public Safety is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on public safety and criminal justice.
The current Secretary is Tricia Everest who was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt in 2021.
Overview The Secretary of Public Safety was established in 1986 to provide greater oversight and coordination to the public safety and criminal justice activities of the State government. The position was established, along with the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The Secretary advises the Governor on public safety policy and advises the state's public safety agencies on new policy as directed by the Governor. The Secretary also provides the overarching management structure for the state's criminal justice agencies in order to deliver improved public services while eliminating redundancies and reducing support costs in order to more effectively and efficiently run the agencies in a unified manner.
The Secretary is responsible for overseeing State police services, criminal investigations, criminal justice and adult criminal corrections. The Secretary also coordinates the State's justice system by overseeing all state prosecutors and generally maintains public order throughout the State through oversight of all State law enforcement agencies. Homeland security, emergency management and law enforcement training are also overseen by the Secretary. The Secretary serves ex officio as the Governor's Representative for Highway Safety. As such, the Secretary is responsible for administering all funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the purposes of promoting highway safety.
Oklahoma state law allows for Cabinet Secretaries to serve concurrently as the head of a State agency in addition to their duties as a Cabinet Secretary. Historically, the Secretary of Public Safety has also served as the Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. However, the current Secretary Chip Keating does not share this role, with the position Commissioner currently filled by Rusty Rhoades.
The Secretary, unless filling an additional role which carries a greater salary, is entitled to annual pay of $85,000.
Reporting officials Officials reporting to the Secretary include:
OfficeOfficeholderSinceAttorney GeneralGentner Drummond2023Director, Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement CommissionBrandon Clabes2022Director, State Bureau of InvestigationSteven Carter2025Director, State Bureau of NarcoticsDonnie Anderson2020Chief Medical ExaminerDr. Eric Pfeifer2011Executive Director, Council on Law Enforcement Education and TrainingDarry Stacy2023Director, Department of CorrectionsSteven Harpe2022Director, Department of Emergency ManagementAnnie Mack-Vest2024Commissioner, Department of Public SafetyTim Tipton2021Executive Coordinator, District Attorneys CouncilKathryn Brewer2022Director, Office of Homeland SecurityRohit Rai2024Executive Director, Indigent Defense SystemTim Laughlin2024State Fire MarshallG. Keith Bryant2021Executive Director, Pardon and Parole BoardTom Bates2020
Budget The Secretary of Public Safety oversees a budget for Fiscal Year 2020 of $1 billion. The budget authorization is broken down as follows:
AgencyFunding (in millions)Employees (in FTEs) Criminal JusticeOffice of the Attorney General38.3207District Attorneys Council125.21,081Indigent Defense System19.6109 SUBTOTAL 183.1 1,397 Law EnforcementAlcoholic Beverage Law Enforcement Commission3.631Department of Public Safety184.31,424Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control20143State Bureau of Investigation37.6318Office of the State Fire Marshall2.823 SUBTOTAL 248.3 1,939 CorrectionsPardon and Parole Board2.223Department of Corrections548.94,181 SUBTOTAL 551.1 4,204 Science and TrainingCouncil on Law Enforcement Education and Training6.340Office of Chief Medical Examiner12.194 SUBTOTAL 18.4 134 Emergency ManagementDepartment of Emergency Management7.230 SUBTOTAL 7.2 30TOTAL$1,0087,704
List of secretaries #NameTook officeLeft officeGovernor served underBob Ricks19952003Frank Keating20032004Brad HenryKevin L. Ward20042011Michael C. Thompson20112017Mary FallinRusty Rhoades20172019Chip Keating20192020Kevin StittTricia Everest2021Present
References
External links Oklahoma Homeland Security Director Named, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security, 1-20-04