McCurtain County voters elect Bruce Shirey to be sheriff following controversy with county officials

McCURTAIN COUNTY, Okla. (KSLA) - Over the past year, a lot of controversy has surrounded the McCurtain County Oklahoma Sheriff’s Office over alleged inappropriate remarks made by Sheriff Kevin Clardy and other county officials in an audio recording last year.

Now, some residents are hoping this is a thing of the past with a new sheriff coming to town — Bruce Shirey, 41.

“The people of McCurtain County have voiced their opinion, and I have heard them and look forward to serving the people of McCurtain County at the end of the year,” sheriff-elect Shirey said.

Shirey was declared the winner of the sheriff’s race Tuesday (Nov. 5). He gathered 73% of the vote to defeat challenger Steve McKee. Shirey is a 20-year veteran of law enforcement who has spent the last ten years as a park ranger. This was his first time seeking political office.

He told KSLA he hopes to bring respect back to the sheriff’s office.

“A lot of people have lost respect for the sheriff’s office because of the incidents that have been going on, and it’s going to take a while to rebuild that trust and respect back to the sheriff’s office, so it’s going to be a challenge for the next couple of years,” Shirey said.

The sheriff-elect said there are around twenty-five deputies in the department, and he says he hope to make those deputies visible to the community.

“My ultimate goal is to increase the number of deputies that are on patrol at any given time so that way we are more visible to the public and also respond in a timely manner to their calls

Shirey will officially take office January 7, 2025.