Get to Know the Officers & Chief
Meet the people behind Talala PD — the Chief who leads the Department and the officers who serve this town every day.
About the Chief
Chief of Police R. Scott Eaton
R. Scott Eaton is Chief of Police for the Town of Talala. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Northeastern State University. He has served the Town since 2016 and has led the Department since his appointment as chief on February 9, 2022.
He has been in law enforcement since 2005 and graduated from the CLEET full-time Basic Academy in 2006. He began in Cherokee County with the Hulbert Police Department, then served with the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office before spending five years with the Oologah Police Department. He joined the Talala Police Department in 2016.
Early years in Hulbert taught him that how a person is treated on a stop should never depend on who they know, or on any special consideration they believe they are due. In a small town, fairness and goodwill toward every person matter. So does helping the court understand the circumstances of a case. Justice here is not a favor the Chief can grant. It is the work of officers, the prosecutor, and the judge, giving each person a fair hearing.
Under his leadership the Department has grown in capability, facilities, and professional standing. Grants and careful spending have been part of that record. The Police Department has received more than $100,000 in grants, and through Chief Eaton’s applications the Town has received more than $180,000. Those funds, together with cost-saving measures, paid for the expansion of the Police Department, Town Hall, and Community Center — a project he designed and served as superintendent. The same approach supported the Department’s two police Explorers. What residents see when they drive past Town Hall is the result of stretching every public dollar.
Chief Eaton has worked to build lasting relationships with the last three Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilors who represent this community. That partnership has helped secure funding the Police Department needed for equipment, facilities, and the support a small agency cannot raise on its own.
In January 2023 the Department hosted the Talala Basic Reserve Officer Academy Graduation (class 22BR1-1), with Assistant Chief Travis Linzy serving as Academy Coordinator.
The standard he sets for the Department is Continuous Improvement through Trustworthy Service — steady work on policy, training, and readiness, paired with the day-to-day conduct that earns and keeps a small town’s trust.
Reach the Chief at [email protected].
Officers
Talala PD is a small-town force. Meet the full team — including Assistant Chief Travis Linzy — on the Town staff roster.
More officer profiles may be added to this page over time.