OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Governor Kevin Stitt on Feb. 9 presented Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton with the Governor’s Medal of Valor, recognizing Tipton’s decades of service and contributions to public safety, according to a release dated Feb. 10, 2026 from the Governor’s Office.
“On behalf of all four million Oklahomans, I can tell you this: We stand by our law enforcement and support those who protect our communities and our families. I am grateful to my friend, Commissioner Tim Tipton, for his tremendous service to the state of Oklahoma,” Stitt said. “He has navigated unprecedented public safety challenges with professionalism, precision, and courage, foreseeing threats and positioning state law enforcement to address them before they can endanger Oklahomans.”
Stitt cited Tipton’s work on Operation Guardian, calling it a first‑in‑the‑nation approach to targeted immigration enforcement in coordination with federal authorities. “Because of that effort, Oklahoma is third in the nation for the removal of dangerous criminals in real numbers,” the governor said.
During the ceremony, Stitt also announced efforts to name a future law enforcement training facility the Tipton Training Center.
“After almost five years in this job and nearly 38 years with the agency, this training facility is something many of us have dreamed of for our entire careers,” Tipton said. “It’s the biggest honor of my life. It has been an incredible privilege to serve as Commissioner, and there’s no better way to end a career than by leading the most professional group of law enforcement officers in the country.”
