OCSO Heritage Collection

06/30/2026

Every photograph. Every badge. Every worn uniform. Every report. Every piece of equipment tucked away in a box has a story to tell.

But those stories aren't just about sheriffs and deputies.

They're about the families they served. The communities they protected. The neighborhoods that grew around them. The tragedies that tested us. The celebrations that brought us together. They are pieces of our story.

The future home of the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office Heritage Collection is now complete as part of the Sheriff's Office's $17.5 million headquarters renovation. With the space ready, the next chapter begins.

Since 2013, picking up where former Sheriff John Whetsel began, Staff Sgt. Bradley Wynn has worked to expand and preserve the Collection. What started as a passion project has grown into a collection of thousands of artifacts spanning more than 135 years of service to Oklahoma County. But that collection has now grown beyond what one person can reasonably preserve alone.

Now we need your help.

The collection must be carefully cataloged, researched, photographed, and preserved so future generations can better understand not only the history of the Sheriff's Office, but the history of the people and communities it has served.

Because history isn't simply about remembering the past.

It's about understanding where we came from, recognizing the people whose lives shaped our own, and discovering the connections that bind us together. Every one of us is a thread woven into a much larger tapestry. When we preserve those threads, we preserve something far greater than artifacts. We preserve identity, community, and the stories that remind us who we are.

We're looking for volunteers who are interested in history, museums, archives, genealogy, photography, preservation, or research—or simply have a desire to be part of something meaningful. No special experience is required. Just curiosity, a willingness to learn, and a desire to help preserve a legacy that belongs to all of us.

Sheriff Tommie Johnson III has a long-term vision of establishing a foundation to support and protect this collection for generations to come. Until then, the success of this effort depends on people who believe that preserving history matters.

If you've ever wondered how you could make a lasting difference, this is your opportunity.

Help us preserve more than artifacts.

Help us preserve the stories that connect us all.

Our history. Our story.

If you're interested in volunteering or would like to learn more, please contact Staff Sgt. Bradley Wynn.

Email: [email protected].

Text: (405) 833-1727

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11/04/2025

So exciting!

10/28/2025

“She Wore the Badge” — Leona McMullen Paine, Oklahoma County’s First Woman Deputy

“My, but things certainly do turn out funny sometimes.”

So began the Daily Oklahoman’s February 5, 1942 article announcing the appointment of Mrs. Leona McMullen Paine as Oklahoma County’s first female deputy sheriff. The tone was light, almost playful, but the moment marked a quiet shift in local law enforcement history — one that would take decades to fully unfold.

Born November 23, 1893, in Washington State to Charles McMullen, a stone mason, and Minnie Nichols, Leona’s early life was shaped by movement and resilience. By 1910, the McMullen family had relocated to Henryetta, Ward 1, in Oklahoma. Leona married Andrew Harrison Paine, a Connecticut-born World War I veteran, on May 20, 1917. Together they raised two children, Clara and Harry, in Oklahoma City, where they lived for decades at 1600 NW 46th Street.

In the opening week of February 1942, Sheriff George Goff deputized 47-year-old Leona Paine as a Deputy. She wasn’t issued a firearm, but she was given a badge — and on October 27, 2025, that badge was rediscovered in a private collection, a tangible link to a pioneering moment in Oklahoma County history.

Leona’s appointment came during the expansion of the Oklahoma County Civil Guard, a wartime volunteer force that grew to over 4,000 members. Her role was primarily administrative: managing correspondence, coordinating enlistments, and serving as the Sheriff's secretary. But she also accompanied transport deputies when female inmates or patients were moved to state institutions — a duty that required both discretion and resolve.

The Oklahoman article captured the novelty of her appointment with a mix of admiration and teasing. “Other deputies have been offering to lend her their guns and let her help chase tire or sugar thieves,” the reporter wrote, “but she’s sticking to her own desk job.” The piece noted that Paine had started her career 29 years earlier as a secretary in a Pinkerton detective office in Chicago. This detail added a touch of noir to her otherwise quiet civic service.

“There has been a definite need for a secretary to manage the office,” the article continued. “Work has increased greatly with the organization of the county’s civilian defense forces. Mrs. Paine is acquainted with the work and will be very helpful.”

Her appointment filled a vacancy left by a departing male deputy. While it was a bold move for its time, it would take nearly 36 years before another woman appeared in the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office archives. From the early 1980s onward, however, the department saw a significant growth in women behind the badge — a legacy that traces back to Paine’s quiet trailblazing.

In April 1942, Leona also became Captain of the Oklahoma County American Red Cross First Aid Detachment, further deepening her wartime service. Though her name faded from official records after the war, her legacy endured.

Leona McMullen Paine died on February 12, 1970, and is buried at Resthaven Gardens Cemetery in Oklahoma City. Her husband, Andrew, preceded her in death in 1965 and is interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

07/01/2025

05/15/2025

The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office is officially halfway through its renovation and construction journey! With the next phase now underway, our NE 36th Street headquarters has been vacated and turned over to contractors, with completion expected around the new year.

The photos show that the Heritage Collection has been carefully packed and moved to a secure location until it can return to its new and permanent home. That new home will feature a transformed front lobby—nearly 1,000 square feet dedicated to a museum space where, for the first time, we’ll share our County’s story and legacy with the public.

I’m excited to keep you updated as we move forward! Soon, we’ll be looking for volunteers to help set up the new space and assist with fundraising for display cases and other curation needs. Stay tuned for more updates!

02/20/2025

Next Wednesday, as part of ongoing renovations, work will begin on demolishing the current lobby to make way for the future Oklahoma County Sheriff's Heritage Collection Museum. This new space will showcase the agency’s history— which is also the history of the community we serve— to the public for the first time.

This effort has been a long-held vision of the agency and its historian, Bradley Wynn, and we are thrilled to see it coming to fruition. We can’t wait to share the incredible pieces in our collection, including some of those pictured below!

For questions regarding the Heritage Collection, email [email protected]. Artist renderings provide a glimpse of what the future museum may look like.

07/03/2024

Imagine this: Back in August 1933, Sheriff Stanley Rogers ran the entire Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office with just 23 deputies. Fast forward to today, and that number has grown to over 160 deputies and around 50 civilian positions. But the changes are more than just numbers.

While Sheriff Rogers and his small team laid their portion of our nearly 135-year foundation, we've continued to build in the decades since. Our modern-day mission of keeping the peace is powered by advanced training and innovative methods. Nearly all of our deputies are now Crisis Intervention trained, and our training division is relentless in discovering new tools and developing courses that will strengthen our deputies' abilities to better serve our communities.

We're not just resting on the laurels of Rogers and his band of dedicated deputies; we're charging forward, proud of our roots but always looking to the future.

06/30/2024

I'll get better photos soon, but I wanted to share the latest addition to the collection from Randy Garner! This is an Oklahoma County Sheriff's class-ring style piece he won at what might have been the first Christmas Party hosted by Sheriff John Whetsel in the late 1990s. It's possibly a one-of-a-kind. The artist is unknown, but Randy suspects it was crafted by an Oklahoma City Police Officer. If anyone has more information about this ring, please let us know!

The ring features the first Whetsel Era badge on the crest and comes in its original green and gold trimmed box. Thank you Randy!