Law Enforcement Background
Steve A. Garner started his career in law enforcement in 1981 for the City of Tahlequah as a police dispatcher; he was then hired to be a Patrolman in 1983 and continued to work for the City of Tahlequah until 1990. He then started work at Northeastern State University Campus Police, where he became a criminal investigator and assistant to the director of Public Safety.
Steve continued his career in Law Enforcement by working with the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and the District Attorney's Office, and has worked with the Public School system as a School Resource Officer. Steve returned to the City of Tahlequah in 2004 as a Patrolman and was proud to be selected Assistant Chief August 2009 by Chief Clay Mahaney.
Steve has completed the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's criminal investigators academy in Glynco, Ga., as well as the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training Criminal Investigators Academy and Basic Police Academy.
Personal Life
Steve is a life long resident of Cherokee County and graduated Tahlequah High School in 1982. He also attended Northeastern State University. Steve is the son of Richard and Rita Garner and has been married for 26 years to Lanette Lamons Garner, the daughter of Sam and Ann Lamons. Together they have two daughters; Samantha Dotson and Tabitha Garner.