City of Marlow selects police chief

A former Marlow police officer has accepted the position of Chief of the Marlow Police Department. Ronnie Smith, 47, will begin his leadership of the department July 31, 2023.

“I am proud to announce Ronnie as our next chief of police,” said Jason McPherson, city administrator. “In addition to being a valuable member of the Marlow Police Department for

more than six years, Ronnie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in law enforcement. I Iook forward to his leadership and working with him to maintain the stellar reputation of the department.”

Smith, a Lawton native, retired in May after 6 ½ years with the Marlow Police Department serving in a patrol function during overnight shifts. He began his law enforcement career with the Lawton Police Department as a patrol officer in 1997.

He continued his career with Lawton serving as a Master Officer, Special Operation Detective, and Lieutenant. He was promoted to Captain, serving in that role with the department for almost six years.

After serving one year at the Sheriff’s Office in Comanche County, he came to Marlow.

“I am excited to be chosen to be the next police chief in Marlow,” Smith said. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Marlow and am pleased to be working with the officers here in this capacity.

“The Marlow Police Department continues to be a high-quality team and I look forward to the opportunity to continue that tradition,” he added.

Smith replaces Leroy Walker, who retired in April after almost 46 years with the Marlow Police Department, serving as the Chief of Police in two separate stints. The most recent stint as Chief began in July of 2015.

Captain Tony Aguilera has been serving as the interim chief.

“Capt. Aguilera has done a fantastic job keeping the department going,” McPherson stated. “His leadership allowed the committee to take the time necessary to adequately search for the right candidate.”

McPherson applauded the efforts of a search committee in the recruiting, interviewing and analyzing process.

“The search committee was invaluable in this process,” McPherson said. “The committee kept finding a knowledgeable candidate that would be the best fit for the department at the forefront of everything they did.”

McPherson was joined by former city clerk Betty Mackey, D.B. Green, Mayor Jeff Prater and former county undersheriff and long-time law enforcement officer John Smith.

“These committee members were more than generous with their time and put in the extra work to make this a successful process,” McPherson added.