Luisa Clausen
Staff Writer
Broken Arrow Police Chief Brandon Berryhill decided to wear his dad’s watch to work every day until he was ready to retire.
On May 2, Berryhill celebrated 30 years of working for the Broken Arrow Police Department. That morning, his watch stopped working, and Berryhill knew it was time to go.
“Sometimes you have to be quiet long enough for God to talk to you,” Berryhill said. “I needed to be quiet longer and listen better.”
Berryhill announced his retirement Friday. He has served as Broken Arrow’s police chief since 2017 and will continue to work until Oct. 31 while the city manager conducts a nationwide search for his replacement.
Although Berryhill will not be directly involved with the search, he said the city will look for someone who will keep the town safe, recognize the strength of the community, and be transparent during the good and the bad. He said the job comes with a lot of sacrifices and that when the community supports the Police Department, its officers can do a better job.
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Once his retirement is official, Berryhill plans to spend some time traveling with his wife and enjoying time with his grandkids.
He does not shut down the idea of continuing to serve the public, if an opportunity was presented to him.
“Every decision I made, I made not for myself,” Berryhill said. “I have tried to do what’s best for the community.”
Berryhill joined the Broken Arrow Police Department in 1994 after serving two years as a campus police officer for the University of Central Oklahoma. He served as a major for seven years, deputy chief for six years and chief for seven years.
Although Berryhill has led the Police Department through COVID-19, the McGirt decision on tribal jurisdiction, budgetary challenges and more, he said the scariest moment of his career was facing a bear. Or so he thought. While doing a building search at night as a patrol officer, he walked into the last room, turned on his flashlight and was faced by an 8-foot bear. After pulling out his gun in seconds of pure fear, he noticed that the bear wasn’t real. It was stuffed.
“The moral of that story is you never judge someone when they do something in the middle of a dynamic situation, because you never know what they’re going to come across,” Berryhill said. “There is something different every time you come out (in the field).”
Mayor Debra Wimpee said Berryhill improved crime prevention by focusing on outreach and education to foster strong and steadfast relationships with Broken Arrow citizens.
“Local policing is more than just law enforcement. It’s preventing crimes before they happen,” Wimpee said in a Friday press release from the city.
“His dedication to bringing awareness of issues such as the fentanyl epidemic, domestic violence, human trafficking, and others, is a reflection of his commitment to building up BA to be a safe community for everyone. It is because of the efforts of Broken Arrow Police Department under the leadership of Chief Berryhill that Broken Arrow is one of the safest communities in the country.”
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