From rookie to top cop: Up close and personal with Abilene's new police chief

Ron Seratte never dreamed he would become a police chief when he signed on as a rookie patrol officer in a one-stoplight town. He began his first day on the four-man force with no training and didn't get any for months.

He said that was just how they did it back then, which is why training is now his passion.

The chief assured him nothing would happen . . .

In 1993 when Seratte started on the Comanche, Oklahoma, police force, the small town's department had just four officers. Their department occupied some back rooms within the local fire department building.

Seratte clocked in early for his night shift and rode around with the police chief for two to three hours before the chief handed him the keys to the police vehicle and left.

Seratte had not yet attended a police academy and had no formal training at that point. He was told he could wear his jeans with his police uniform top. He was handed a badge but even had to provide his own firearm.

The chief assured him that nothing would happen that night.

Just hours into Seratte's first shift, however, he pulled up in front of Comanche's liquor store. It had just been broken into, money was taken and the front window smashed.

Over 30 years on the force

Seratte grew up in Comanche and was eager to begin his police career there. His inspiration hailed from his cousin who was a dedicated Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer. As a child, Seratte looked up to his cousin and always had a goal of serving as an officer as well.

When Seratte started with the Comanche Police Department, he worked mainly in patrol but also did just about everything else within the small department.

Seratte then moved over to the Lawton Police Department in 2000 as a patrol and field training officer. Seratte took the reins of the Abilene Police Department in February of this year, continuing his over 30-year career in public service.

New programs for APD

When asked about the recent uptick in crash fatalities in the Big Country, Seratte attributed the increase to factors including inattentive driving, experience, high speeds, "stupid decisions," alcohol and not crossing at crosswalks for pedestrians.

But he said the department will continue to enforce traffic laws as best they can. They will also begin hosting workshops this year.

APD is going to host a motorcycle safety course 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. May 11 in the parking lot of 4565 South First Street. It is not a required course,

But Seratte said the department is hosting it in hopes of lowering motorcycle crash rates. Going forward, they hope to host one of these motor safety courses each year.

Seratte is also hoping to institute a junior police academy in addition to the already successful Safety City and yearly Citizens Academy.

Combatting fentanyl

The chief said the growing fentanyl crisis is "very prevalent" right now in Abilene. Seratte even sees fentanyl rates surpassing methamphetamine in the near future.

Recently, APD dedicated an officer to work only fentanyl-related cases, tracing the origins back to the dealer.

"Unfortunately, he is very busy," Seratte said.

He credits new legislation which allows the department to go after the dealers who sold it in the first place in hopes of getting a conviction in the future, as well.

In February, officers arrested Jerrill Kenyon Russell and charged him with the first local murder charge in connection to a fentanyl-related death in Abilene.

When asked about the biggest issues his officers respond to, Seratte said that domestic violence tops the list, followed by mental health crises.

Seratte also said that in general murder and crime rates are a lot lower here in Abilene than in his previous location, and he hopes to keep it that way.

A look to the future

Seratte said staffing has been falling short of late, but he hopes the next police officer academy on May 4 will help bridge the gap.

With close to 200 applicants thus far, department officials hope that the academy will help fill out their recruitment numbers and reach his desired manpower of 235 members.

The department now has 196 members. It would be considered fully staffed at 216 members.

A memorable first night on the force

Back in Comanche on his rookie debut, the first thing Seratte noticed when he pulled up in front of the smashed liquor store window was a friend with whom he had graduated high school. His friend admitted that he had broken into the store and taken the money.

Seratte took him into custody and waited at the police department for the chief to arrive.

In the morning, the chief sent Seratte home from his first day as a police officer and assured him that he would take care of the man who had broken into the liquor store.

The next day, when Seratte checked in for his second night shift, the chief told him that the man had reached an agreement with the liquor store owner and would be working there for free to pay off his debts.

It took the Comanche Police Department almost nine months before they sent Seratte to official peace officer training, but Seratte says that was just the regulation at that time. When someone signed on as a police officer, the city had up to one year before sending that new officer to official training.

With an incredulous look on his face, Seratte emphasized that was how he started his police career — training himself.

"This is why preparing new recruits with proper training is now my passion," he said.

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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Up close and personal with Abilene's new Police Chief