ROBERT "BOB" TURNER

Oklahoma County Sheriff Robert "Bob" Turner was born January 29, 1910. He was married to Frances L. Turner for over fifty years and had two sons, Jim and Kenneth. Bob Turner served fourteen years in law enforcement as a deputy sheriff and two years as a special agent for the State Crime Bureau before being elected Oklahoma County sheriff in 1950. Bob Turner served as sheriff for twenty-six years, the longest in Oklahoma history.

During his tenure as sheriff he mandated a new level of professional for his staff and renovated the County Jail. He started programs for prisoners who suffer from mental illness and improved the medical care of all others. Sheriff Turner believed all people should be treated humanely and worked tirelessly to this end. To ensure safety of employees and inmates, he had closed-circuit television monitoring installed in the jail.

His reputation for fairness was consistently recognized throughout the courthouse by judges, lawyers, and county officials. Bob Turner was awarded numerous awards including commendations by "The Citizens for Police Improvement," the NAACP's "Freedom Bond", the Outstanding Support to Tinker Air Force Base, and given the "Outstanding Public Official Award" in 1972. Sheriff Turner was appointed to serve on the Oklahoma Crime Commission and later served as president of the Oklahoma Sheriff and Peace Officers Association. In 2004 Bob Turner was inducted into the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association Hall of Fame.

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