(Oklahoma City, Ok.) – Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Commissioner
and Cabinet Secretary, Michael C. Thompson, has announced that Assistant
Commissioner Ricky Adams will replace COL Kerry Pettingill as the 26th
Chief of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol effective November 1, 2013. Adams will
be pinned Chief in a ceremony scheduled for 9:00 a.m. tomorrow at the DPS Headquarters in Oklahoma City.
Commissioner Thompson said, “Ricky Adams is a proven and capable leader and
is dedicated to leading the Oklahoma Highway Patrol with the highest degree
of integrity.” Prior to this assignment, Adams served as the Assistant
Commissioner of DPS for the past 31 months and has held every rank within
the Patrol. “I am very excited for the future of the Oklahoma Highway
Patrol,” said Thompson.
Adams has served as a professional law enforcement officer for over 33
years. He served at the local level with the Elk City and Edmond Police
Departments before joining the ranks of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in
1986, graduating from the 42nd Oklahoma Highway Patrol Academy as the Honor
Graduate. Adams also attended the 204th Session of the FBI National Academy
in 2001. His distinguished 27 year career with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol
has been hallmarked by stellar leadership as a commander at every level
within the organization and is credited with many agency wide achievements.
Adams said of his new position as the 26th Chief, “I’m extremely honored at
being asked to serve in this capacity. Growing up in western Oklahoma, I
got to know some of our local troopers very well through church and our
high school. I had the opportunity to attended the Cadet Lawman Academy
between my Junior and Senior year in high school. It was during that time
that I decide law enforcement was my calling and being a trooper my goal.
Now, being asked to lead the very organization that so greatly influenced
me as a young man is very humbling.
“It is a great honor to have been asked to serve as the 26th Chief of the
Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The respect and traditions of our agency has been
earned and maintained by the selfless dedication to duty of our members,
both past and present. I pledge to be a good steward of that tradition and
ensure that our path is firmly grounded in our Core Mission and Values as
we move into this 21st century,” said Adams.
Notably, Adams is also a combat veteran serving with the Oklahoma Army
National Guard for over 35 years. He currently holds the rank of U.S. Army
Major General and is assigned as the Deputy Commanding General for National
Guard, at US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Fort Eustis,
Virginia. Adams has served as the Oklahoma Assistant Adjutant General,
State Land Component Commander, the Deputy Commanding General (ARNG) at
Fort Sill, and the Deputy Assistant Commandant of the US Army Field
Artillery School, a 2006 combat tour in Afghanistan as the Director –
Police Reform Directorate Afghanistan and formerly commanded the 45th Field
Artillery Brigade and 171st Field Artillery Battalion MLRS. He has
received the Legion of Merit twice and the Bronze Star Medals.
Adams holds a Master’s of Strategic Studies Degree from the US Army War
College and a Bachelor from the University of Central Oklahoma. He is also
a graduate of the CAPSTONE Program at the National Defense University,
National Security Management Course at Syracuse University, the Army
Strategic Leadership Advanced Courses, JTF Commander Course, Joint Flag
Officer War Fighting School, Harvard University’s Black Sea Security
Program and General & Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, to
name a few.
Adams resides in Edmond Oklahoma and is married to Cathy and has two
daughters and four grandchildren.
