Deputy Kenton Blumenthal

A seven-year veteran of the Coweta Police Department, Officer Winters has distinguished himself through relentless dedication to community safety and exceptional investigative skills. His meticulous approach to traffic enforcement has yielded significant results, including intercepting two illegal contraband shipments bound for correctional facilities and making approximately 15 trafficking arrests. In December 2024, what began as a simple taillight violation led Winters to uncover a homicide. After arresting the driver for drug possession, Winters obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s phone and discovered a photograph of a deceased victim taken just hours before the traffic stop. His investigation led to solving a missing person case from Tulsa and resulted in kidnapping and murder charges against the suspect.

A third-generation law enforcement officer, Deputy Blumenthal has served Oklahoma communities since 2017. In December 2024, he demonstrated exceptional courage during a multi-agency, high-speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle that endangered citizens across multiple counties and cities for nearly an hour. The armed suspect, known for violence, had rammed through roadblocks, struck a police vehicle, and drove past Blumenthal’s own residence at over 100 mph while the officer’s child played in the front yard. When the pursuit ended at the suspect’s residence, Blumenthal and another deputy pursued the suspect on foot through challenging terrain. The suspect concealed himself in tall grass in an apparent ambush attempt, then suddenly stood and drew two pistols, pointing them toward the deputies. Blumenthal made the split-second decision to use deadly force, neutralizing the threat and ending the dangerous situation.

These four officers demonstrated extraordinary heroism in May during a high-speed pursuit that ended in a life-threatening shootout. A theft suspect in a stolen vehicle had rammed police units and endangered residents during the chase in Atoka County. The pursuit ended near Stringtown when the suspect crashed into a truck carrying a family of five, trapping the parents and young children inside. The suspect, armed with an AR-15, fled to nearby trees and began shooting at officers. Deputy Chief Colley, Detective Thomas and Sheriff Simpson returned fire. When officers saw the family was caught in the crossfire, Deputy Chief Colley and Lt. Taylor placed themselves between the armed suspect and the trapped individuals, using their bodies to protect the family. The officers broke out the vehicle’s windows to get the family out safely. None of the officers were wearing body armor sufficient to stop rifle rounds. The suspect eventually surrendered.