Kevin Ickleberry named Chief of Police

June 6, 2023

Bartlesville Police Department Deputy Police Chief Kevin Ickleberry has been selected to fill the open position of Police Chief. The move comes following the promotion of former chief Tracy Roles, who was promoted to assistant city manager last month.

Ickleberry began his law enforcement career with the City of Bartlesville as a reserve officer in October 1989. He moved to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in January 1995, where he served as a deputy sheriff until December 1995.

He was hired as a BPD patrol officer Dec. 4, 1995, and moved to the Criminal Investigations Division as a detective in May 2001. He earned the rank of sergeant in May 2006 and served in that capacity in CID until 2009, when he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

He was assigned to the Services Division in 2011 until October 2018, when he was appointed as captain of the Special Operations Division. He was named deputy chief in January of this year.

Ickleberry holds several accreditations in police work and leadership, including his attendance at the FBI LEEDA leadership institutes in 2019 and 2020, the University of Louisville, Southern Police Institute-Louisville, Ky., in 2021, and the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police training in 2017.

He holds an Associate’s Degree in General Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University and will receive his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice this fall. He attended the Oklahoma Council of Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) in 1996.

His professional affiliations include the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police, Texas Association of Hostage Negotiators, and the National Tactical Officers Association. He also works locally with the Boys and Girls Club, the Westside Community Center, Neighborhood Watch and the Bartlesville Public Schools Safety Committee.

He has earned numerous awards throughout his distinguished career, including the Fraternal Order of Police Officer of the Year in 2004 and Bartlesville Area Crime Stoppers Award in 2003.

He is married to Kerry Ickleberry, and the couple are proud parents to three daughters and a special son.

Ickleberry will begin his new duties in BPD’s top leadership role on Monday, June 12.

“I am so happy for the appointment of Kevin Ickleberry as the Bartlesville police chief,” said Roles, who oversees the police department in his role as ACM. “Kevin is a principled man of high integrity and is a life-long Bartian. I have full faith and confidence that Chief Ickleberry will continue to move the police department forward and will serve our community well. I am excited to see the heights the police department will rise to under his leadership.”

Roles also expressed his thanks to Capt. Jay Hastings for his leadership of the department since May 1 while serving as interim police chief.

“He did a great job and is to be commended for his stable leadership while serving as interim chief during this transition,” Roles said.