John Whetsel is Sheriff of Oklahoma County and is a Past President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The Whetsel family includes wife Mitzi (Zielny), daughter Jonna, and daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter Stacy, Brock and Kailey Moore.

Sheriff Whetsel began his law enforcement career in 1967, joined the Choctaw Police Department in 1973 and served as Choctaw Chief of Police for 21 years before being elected Sheriff.

Sheriff Whetsel is a graduate of Midwest City High School, has earned an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate, is a state certified police instructor, has earned an Associate degree in Police Science from Southwestern College, a Bachelor degree in Government and Sociology from the University of Central Oklahoma, and has Master's studies in Criminal Justice.

Sheriff Whetsel has authored articles including Police Use of Deadly Force, Pursuits: A Deadly Force Issue, Criminal Justice and Business Law Education, and wrote a monthly article for 77ze Police Chie magazine.

Sheriff Whetsel frequently appears on television news programs and has been a guest on the Phil Donahue Show, Larry King Live, Dateline, NBC Nightly News, Hard Copy, Front Page and America's Most Wanted. 

Sheriff Whetsel is nationally recognized and speaks as an authority on police pursuits. Sheriff Whetsel has testified before Congressional committees and legislative hearings. 

Sheriff Whetsel serves on the Boy Scouts of America National Law Enforcement Exploring advisory committee, the Solutions to Tragedies of Police Pursuits advisory board, the Motorola Corporation Webber Seavey Quality in Law Enforcement Award committee, has served on the Family Violence Model State Codes national advisory committee, the National Institute of Justice Domestic Chemical Action Group, and is a past chairman of the IACP Foundation. 

Sheriff Whetsel is a member of the Oklahoma Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence, the board of directors of Tri-City Youth and Family Center in Choctaw, and has served on the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverages Laws Enforcement Commission and on the Oklahoma Council for Law Enforcement Education and Training. 

Sheriff Whetsel is a past president of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police and the Oklahoma Sheriff and Peace Officers Association. Sheriff Whetsel has served as a member of the National Law Enforcement Council in Washington, D.C., and is past General Chairman of IACP Division of State Associations of Chiefs of Police.

Sheriff Whetsel has been the recipient of many honors, including his selection as an Outstanding Young Man of America by the U.S. Jaycees and being awarded the First Grade Hwa-Shin Medal by the National Police Administration of the Republic of China, Taiwan.