Mustang Police Captain retiring after being with department for 36 years
By Jon Watje
Managing Editor
Mustang Police Captain Jim Davis will retire at the end of the month. He came to work for the department in 1980.
When Jim Davis came to work for the Mustang Police Department in October of 1980, there were only nine patrol officers and four patrol cars.
“Back then the Oldsmobile Cutlass was our patrol vehicle,” Davis said. “It had a top speed of 85 miles per hour.”
Davis is retiring as Captain of the Mustang Police Department at the end of the year. He planned on retiring before he was promoted to the position almost two years ago.
“I told them that I would do it, but for two years,” he said.
Prior to working in Mustang, Davis served in the U.S. Army as a military policeman and also served two years overseas in Korea. In October of 1980 he applied for and was hired by the Mustang Police Department when LeRoy Cinammon was the police chief.
From 1980 to 1982, he worked in the patrol division as a patrolman before he received a Master Patrolman promotion. In 1983, he was promoted to Sergeant and later transferred to the detective division. In 1986, he became a Lieutenant and transferred back to the patrol division.
From 1992 to 1998, he served as a firearm instructor in the patrol division.
A milestone in his career happened in 1999 when he was only one of 12 officers in the state to be selected to attend the FBI National Academy for training.
“It was a great learning experience,” he said. “It was a very competitive selection process and I was fortunate enough to be one of the twelve to go.”
Throughout his career with the department, his service did not go unnoticed.
Davis received a letter of appreciation from the Canadian County District Attorney in 2003 for helping in the conviction of a subject in a rape case. In 2005, he received recognition for his investigation of a domestic violence case and in 2008 he received a letter of appreciation from the FBI for apprehending an individual that was considered a threat to national security.
Now, with a total of 36 years at the Mustang Police Department, and serving under eight police chiefs, the longest tenured employee in the history of the department said it is now time to move on.
Police Chief Rob Groseclose was informed of Davis’ upcoming retirement when he recently came to Mustang. City policy allows the police chief to select a Captain from one of his Lieutenants who have at least two years of experience and no disciplinary actions.
The position may be changed to Deputy Chief, which allows the police chief to choose anyone in the department. The Captain position is not a contract position and is more of a management position which is paid by salary, rather than hourly.
“Mustang is unique because there is an excellent relationship between city management and the police department here,” Davis said. “I have enjoyed working here and enjoyed the relationships and friendships I have made here over the years. Being in police services, there are its highs and lows, but I would say I am going to miss the people the most.”
Davis said he is entertaining the thought of being a reserve officer after he retires.
