Wellston's longtime police chief is out of a job after the state briefly yanked his peace-officer certification and fresh attention landed on a wild jailhouse gun incident caught on camera.
Chief Alfred Hancock resigned last Wednesday after state officials suspended his certification and questions resurfaced about a 2024 DUI arrest that ended with a detainee pulling out a small revolver at the Lincoln County jail. Hancock had led the small Lincoln County department since 2019, and his exit has locals asking hard questions about training, booking procedures and how a tiny force keeps people safe.
According to KOCO, a state order shows Hancock's CLEET certification was suspended on May 15, 2025, after he failed to complete dozens of hours of mandatory training going back to 2022. The order cited gaps in required continuing education, mental-health, missing-persons and sexual-assault-investigation coursework. His certification was later reinstated in December 2025. KOCO reported that Hancock resigned on Feb. 25 and that the town followed up with a public message thanking him for his service.
Video from a September 2024 DUI arrest shows the suspect later producing a small revolver at the Lincoln County jail, prompting an internal review and the resignation of another Wellston officer, according to News 9. The detainee was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, attempted murder and related offenses. That episode, and whether officers properly searched the driver or read Miranda rights before booking, has become a focal point for public criticism of Hancock's tenure.
State Law And The CLEET Process
Under Oklahoma Statutes, the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training can summarily suspend a peace-officer certification and requires agencies to report final orders or resignations that happen while an officer is under investigation. The law also says elected, appointed or acting police chiefs must meet certification requirements within six months of taking the job. Together, those provisions give CLEET authority to suspend or revoke certifications for missed training and other statutory violations.
Town Response And County Precautions
The town publicly thanked Hancock and named Shawn Stewart as interim chief, according to KOCO. Stewart declined to be interviewed, leaving residents to read between the lines of the town's brief announcement.
After the 2024 gun incident, Lincoln County officials said they tightened booking procedures, adding extra pat-downs and metal-detector screenings for detainees, News 9 reported. The city has not released additional details about what exactly led up to Hancock's resignation or whether further policy changes are on the table.
What This Means For Residents
Small departments often run on a skeleton crew of certified officers, so losing a chief to a training suspension and sudden resignation can strain patrol coverage and oversight of everyone else's credentials. Municipal policy manuals commonly require that a chief already hold CLEET certification or obtain it shortly after appointment. One example is the policy manual from the Norman Police Department, which spells out certification expectations for command staff.
For now, Interim Chief Stewart is running the Wellston Police Department while residents and county officials wait for clearer answers about what really prompted Hancock's departure and how the town plans to prevent another jailhouse scare. We contacted the town for further comment and will update this story if officials respond.
