There's a new sheriff in town -- as Cleveland County voters overwhelmingly elected Joe Lester over Rick Adkins in Tuesday's general elections, 60,587 votes to 39,855 with all precincts reporting early Wednesday morning.
The results are unofficial until certified by election board officials on Friday.
"I am looking forward to bringing the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department into the current century with training, equipment and support from the citizens of Cleveland County," Lester said.
Several hundred supporters crowded into The Trails Golf Club for Lester's watch party. Lester's lead snowballed as the precinct results trickled in over several hours' time. By the time the count was finished, Lester's victory had long been secured and the crowd had thinned to 40 or 50 people.
Lester said he "appreciated the confidence" shown by those who voted for him. "Tonight would not have been possible without the support of many friends throughout Cleveland County," he said.
Norman Police Chief Phil Cotten and his wife, Gail, said they were pleased with the outcome.
"Joe Lester has been a longtime friend," Chief Cotten said. "He was the most experienced administratively of all the candidates. I'm looking forward to working with him and I think there will be a great partnership among the sheriff's department, Norman Police Department and OU Police Department, as well as state and federal agencies."
Cotten said he looked forward to working with Lester "as discussions go on concerning the potential new jail."
"I think he'll be a great sheriff," Cotten said.
Lester commended Rick Adkins for "being a formidable opponent."
"I wish him the best in his career with the Purcell Police Department," he said.
Adkins and more than 100 supporters gathered at the Norman Depot to track the election results.
Afterward, Adkins said he "called and congratulated (Lester) and wished him luck."
"I will run again in four years," Adkins said. "We're going to take a little break and after the first of the year, start planning for when we can run again."
"I am very proud of the support we got from our volunteers and everyone that worked and supported me. They worked very hard and I'm very proud of that," Adkins said.
Lester, 64, served 12 years as OU police chief, more than 20 years in the Tulsa Police Department and as an Army military policeman.
When he left the Tulsa Police Department to become OU police chief, he supervised more than 235 police officers and civilians. At OU, he was in charge of a $2 million public safety budget. He also has worked in private business.
The sheriff's department faces a multitude of important issues, not the least of which is an overcrowded detention center being routinely watched by the state health department.
"I look forward to working with the county commissioners and other county officers for the next four years," he said, "and I'm excited about working with the citizens of Cleveland County on the upcoming jail sales tax and the Dec. 9 vote for the new jail."
Assistant District Attorney Dave Batton said he thinks Lester "will bring stability to the sheriff's department" and was "looking forward to his working with other county officials as a team and helping us with the jail."
Tom Blakey 366-3540 tblakey@normantranscript.com
Local news
UPDATED: Lester takes sheriff's race
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