Scott Owen

Office: (918) 332-4000

Washington County Sheriff's Website

Address: 611 SW Adams Blvd.
Bartlesville, OK
get directions

Date Took Office: 1/1/2019

County Seat: Bartlesville
County Population: 50,976
County Size: 417 square miles

Sheriff’s Bio

Sheriff Scott Owen took office as the 22nd sheriff of Washington County in 2019. As a lifelong resident of Bartlesville, his goal is to operate a transparent agency and provide high-quality law enforcement to the citizens of Washington County.

Scott brings 35 years of law enforcement experience to his role as sheriff. At the City of Bartlesville Police Department, he served many roles, including Field Training Officer (1990 – 1995), Seargent in the Patrol Division (1995 – 1999), Lieutenant in Patrol as well as Training and Fleet Operations (1999 – 2007), and Captain in the Operations Division (2008 – 2010). His responsibilities included Patrol Supervisor over Shift Operations, Training Coordinator, Fleet Management for both the Police Department and Entire City Operations, Member and Commander of both the Fatal/Serious Accident Investigations Unit and Special Operations Team. Budget development and management for both the Police Department Operations Division and Municipal Fleet Operations.

Sheriff Owen currently holds C.L.E.E.T. Advanced Peace Officer Certification, Certified C.L.E.E.T. Instructor, Advanced Accident Investigations, and Special Operations Management.

As sheriff, Scott’s goals are:

• Increase patrol and investigation functions and add enhanced training in all areas of the Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center.
• Stay abreast of changes concerning law enforcement and detention and regularly review and update procedures and guidelines for operations.
• Modernize the Sheriff’s Office as change occurs and stay abreast of changes in these fields. Continue to work cooperatively with all local, state, federal and tribal agencies.

These goals allow him to fulfill his promise to make the changes needed to provide high-quality law enforcement to the citizens of Washington County. Including updates to the facility and fleet while maintaining an adequate budget and operating within the established budgets. To be a good steward of the taxpayer dollars and maintain open communications with citizens and conduct a transparent agency.

Since taking office, Sheriff Owen has reorganized staff to increase patrol, increased training in both the detention center and sheriff’s office, and developed planned and improved maintenance and replacement of aging equipment and infrastructure of the aging detention center. To enhance accountability to staff and the residents, the Sheriff’s Office performs coordinating reviews and updates of operational procedures and guidelines.

These improvements to the sheriff’s office give the county residents an improved sense of security and how their tax dollars are being used, seeing the efforts made daily to provide an equitable level of service and protection. Also, the sheriff’s office staff are more empowered to fulfill their duties with improved support from the community since the office garners a better image by the community.

Scott grew up and currently resides in Bartlesville with his wife, Cynthia, where he attends and is active in the praise and worship band at Liberty Chapel of Praise. They have three children, eleven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and country-gospel music.