Darrin Varnell
Office: (918) 762-2565
Pawnee County Sheriff's Website
Address: 500 Harrison, Room 1B
Pawnee, OK 74058
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Date Took Office: 01/04/2021
County Seat: Pawnee
County Population: 16,577
County Size: 569 square miles
Sheriff Darrin Varnell took office as Sheriff in January 2021. Sheriff Varnell has the experience and knowledge to keep the community’s best interest at the forefront while creating a new brand and modern style of policing built through trust, integrity, and complete transparency to the people of Pawnee County.
Sheriff Varnell started his law enforcement career in 1995, servicing various police and sheriff departments, including the Mannford Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Osage County Sheriff’s office, chief of the Jennings Police Department, and currently Sheriff of Pawnee County Sheriff’s office. He has many accreditations to his record, including Firearms, Law Enforcement, a Reserve Academy Coordinator, and a certified TASER instructor.
Since taking office, under the watch of Sheriff Varnell, he has increased the number of patrol deputies and upgraded the patrol fleet, secured new equipment to help the department perform more efficiently, updated the technology in the dispatch and jail, obtained new vehicles (at no cost to the community), and secured a federal contract with the U.S. Marshal’s Service to detain inmates which will generate $400K to $600K a year for the sheriff’s office.
While growing up in Mannford, Oklahoma, and gathering the bulk of his work experience in Mannford, he now calls Terlton, OK, home. He has been married for sixteen years to his wife Chastity, and they have three children together. Sheriff Varnell enjoys fishing, shooting, leatherworking and is an avid classic car enthusiast in his free time.
“My goal is to provide the people of Pawnee County with a new brand and more modern style of Policing while providing a quality and transparent service to the people of Pawnee County. Improve the technology and the patrol fleet. Build strong, lasting relationships with other law enforcement agencies and fire departments. Improve the operations at the County Jail to ensure a safe and secure environment while reducing liability, and improve dispatcher operations.”