A former Pawnee County sheriff's deputy charged with two felony counts of animal cruelty is still drawing a paycheck from the agency, working at the county jail after being pulled off patrol duties. Interim Sheriff Raymond Leach confirmed on Nov. 5 that Jason Bradley remains on staff, and he says he has no plans to change that before Bradley's case plays out in court.
Bradley was charged in September, and according to 2 News Oklahoma, he has a hearing scheduled for Nov. 10 at the county courthouse. Assistant District Attorney Brett Mize said that hearing will determine whether a preliminary hearing gets scheduled or waived, sending the case to district court arraignment. Leach, who was undersheriff before stepping into the top job, said the decision to keep Bradley employed was made by former Sheriff Shawn Price, and that he intends to honor it. “I'll stand behind that decision that Sheriff Price made at the time he made that decision,” Leach said.
Why Bradley Is Still On The Job
Leach's reasoning comes down to due process: Bradley hasn't been convicted of anything. The sheriff's office has kept him employed at the county jail, moving him off deputy duties but not off the payroll, until his case is either resolved with a conviction or he's cleared. That arrangement predates Leach's tenure, but he's made clear he isn't reversing it.
The allegations against Bradley stretch back to his time as police chief in Jennings, before he served as a K9 deputy under former Sheriff Darrin Varnell. According to The Keystone Gusher, an OSBI affidavit alleges he shot two dogs at the Jennings pound with his duty pistol near the back of their heads and instructed public works employees to bury them. The Gusher reported that OSBI investigated the case, that Bradley turned himself in on the charges, and that he has not worked for Jennings in any capacity since being terminated by the town.
A Sheriff's Office In Transition
The employment controversy lands at an awkward moment for the department. Price abruptly announced his resignation on Nov. 2, citing a new job opportunity, stepping down in the middle of his term after being sworn in as sheriff early in 2024. Leach, who had served as undersheriff, has now taken over and plans to serve the remainder of Price's term through 2028 unless an election is held sooner.
Leach said the sheriff's office currently has eight deputies and still manages 24-hour patrol coverage. “We do have a deputy actually on patrol 24 hours a day,” he said. He acknowledged the budget took a hit this year after Price had increased it the year before, telling the station, “there was a little slight decrease in the budget this year but we're able to hold true and continue to have that 24-hour coverage.”
Staffing Struggles Have Lingered For Years
The department's staffing woes aren't new. When Price took over from Varnell, who quit as sheriff before Price took office in 2024, he said the office was down to just three deputies. Price told 2 News Oklahoma at the time that six to eight deputies would let the department get by, while eight to ten would provide very good coverage for the county, and he said his focus would be on patrolling back roads and areas around towns without their own local law enforcement.
Varnell had previously told News On 6 that deputy pay and overtime rules were straining the department's finances, since deputies are compensated for 173 hours a month even if they work fewer hours. He said at the time there simply wasn't money for new vehicles, personnel, or training.
Residents Weigh In On The Office's Direction
Those staffing concerns have shaped how county residents view the sheriff's office's recent history. Moria Hoff said county residents have mixed emotions about Price's legacy, and that she wished there were more patrolling and staffing. She said incidents had gone unreported without action, and that she believed the office was understaffed in a way that allowed rule-breakers to keep working. Other residents voiced similar hopes for change when Price first took charge, with one telling 2 News Oklahoma, “A little more patrolling would be cool. I think everybody's kind of looking for a change.”
