Guthrie Ranks as one of the Safest Places in the Oklahoma City Metro

City Manager’s Desk
Matt Mueller

The City of Guthrie’s core values are integrity, service, and quality of life. Quality of life can refer to many things in a community. It can refer to parks and recreation amenities, shopping, education, or most importantly, public safety.

Guthrie City Manager Matt Mueller

Guthrie officials realize that public safety is the foundation of quality of life in a community and we are proud to say that Guthrie consistently ranks toward the top of the list in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area as far as public safety is concerned. Over the past three years, Guthrie ranks third behind Choctaw and Edmond for the lowest number of crimes per thousand residents in Cities over 5,000 in population according to the most recent Uniform Crime Statistics Report. The Uniform Crime Statistics Report is a document issued by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation as a way to compare crime reporting with a comprehensive system.

The Guthrie Police Department is one of the driving forces that keep the community safe. GPD, led by Police Chief Damon Devereaux, takes a service based approach to local policing and works in many areas of law enforcement including traffic safety, investigations, records, 911, and animal control. The Guthrie Police Department is not only friendly and effective, but they are also efficient. There are 20 uniformed officers that work for the Guthrie Police Department which gives Guthrie a ratio of two officers per thousand people. This is the recommended ratio from the Association of Police Chiefs for a community of Guthrie’s size, but it is less than the statewide average of 2.7 officers per thousand people.

The Guthrie Police Department is currently hosting its annual Citizens Police Academy. This eight week academy offers Guthrie citizens an inside look at GPD with fun, interactive programs designed to give the public a better understanding of the police department. You may also encounter one of Guthrie’s officers flipping burgers at a neighborhood event or taking a child shopping at Christmas time during the Fraternal Order of Police’s annual “shop with a cop” event.

These dedicated public servants go above and beyond the day-to-day requirements of their job. Next time you see one of Guthrie’s finest, make sure to thank them for the job they have done keeping our community safe!