Bristow Police Officer Billy Leatherwood retires from PD after 20 years of service

On April 23, 2022, Bristow Police Officer Billy Leatherwood will begin his retirement from the Bristow Police Department after serving 20 years and five months.

Leatherwood knew at an early age he wanted to become a police officer. Leatherwood said, “It is just something I always wanted to do.” After receiving his CLEET certification, Leatherwood, at the age of 30 applied for a position with the Bristow PD and was accepted, where he has remained employed to present day, giving his dedication to the force and the community. From June to Nov. 2001, Leatherwood worked as the BPD's dispatcher and jailer. For the next 12 years, from November 2001 thru August 2013, he served on the department as a patrol officer, becoming the school resource officer for the next four years. In June of 2021, Leatherwood was promoted to patrol sergeant with the department. When asked what his most memorable thing he has done as a police officer, Leatherwood replied, “Working with the kids as a school resource officer.”

Leatherwood came to the Bristow community when he was three years old, and minus his time in the Air Force, where he was stationed in England, he has spent his whole life in the community, attending all of his school year's at Bristow Public Schools. Leatherwood said, “ I love this town and the community, it is my home.”

Leatherwood said he decided to take his retirement while he was young enough to start another career and continue working in another field to build up a second retirement in order to secure his future.

Over the course of the last 20 years, Leatherwood has accomplished many feats in his career, holding an advanced CLEET certification, an advanced CLEET instructor, DARE instructor training, NASRO Basic Academy for school resources officers, organized two separate mock crashes for anti DUI, assisted ABLE in underage school alcohol buys for Bristow and Okmulgee counties, assisted the Bristow High School Leadership class with three social drinking houses to combat youth drinking, worked on the rape prevention/self defense tactics class for females among many other skills and duties. He belongs to the Oklahoma Association of School resources officers, the National Association for school resource officers, Oklahoma DARE Association and from 2015 to present is a Bristow Social Services board member. Leatherwood is very involved in community events helping with Meals on Wheels, has coached both little league soccer and basketball, and has been very helpful in organizing annual Christmas parades, the Tabouleh Festival, Wild Flower Run, the annual car show, toy run for the social services, Easter Egg Hunts, Walk to School Day and Halloween activities.

No matter what his next endeavor may be, Leatherwood will give it 100 percent just as he has done over the past 20 years. We are not saying goodbye as Leatherwood plans to stay very involved with the community, we are only saying good-luck and we wish you the best and Thank you for your service.