Fletcher rejoins Olney PD as reserve officer

Olney residents soon will see a new but familiar face in the city’s police vehicles as Officer Russell Fletcher rejoins the Olney Police Department as a reserve officer.

Officer Fletcher served in the OPD from 2017 to 2019, then taught law enforcement classes at the Weatherford high school, where his wife works.

“My goal is to, at minimum, every two weeks be out here,” Fletcher said.

Police Chief Dan Birbeck swore in Officer Fletcher as a reservist April 15 and will work him into the department’s schedule early May.

“He will make a nice addition to our team,” Birbeck said.

The experience on the streets of Olney goes hand-in-hand with Fletcher’s day job: “I teach Law Enforcement 1 and Law Enforcement 2, and we have law practicums where we actually set up internships,” he said. “Currently I have 10 students - next year I’ll have more who do internships at the local police departments, the firehouses, I have one at the district attorney’s office. We have internships where students get to be exposed to public safety.”