OSBI Director Aungela Spurlock steps down amid controversy, announces retirement

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) Director Aungela Spurlock has stepped down effective immediately and will officially retire on March 1, she announced Thursday.

“The decision to leave was not an easy one,” Spurlock said in an agency-wide email issued Thursday, “I feel blessed to have had the privilege of working alongside each of you. You are some of the most talented and dedicated individuals I have ever met.”

The unexpected announcement follows a year of controversy surrounding her leadership of the state’s top investigative agency. The OSBI Commission, which oversees the agency, was set to discuss her performance in a special meeting scheduled for later this month. Sources tell News 9 the commission was expected to terminate Spurlock.

Highly publicized internal complaints and concerns from families the OSBI is tasked with serving, led to increased scrutiny of Spurlock’s leadership. In Feb. 2024, the commission forwarded complaints about Spurlock to Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office for a formal inquiry. The concern was that a former OSBI agent accused Spurlock of using her position to suppress complaints. The agent claimed he rejected a retirement agreement that was contingent on withdrawing his formal complaint against the director. Spurlock was cleared of criminal wrongdoing.

The commission was tasked with addressing any potential policy violations, which had not yet been resolved.

Spurlock, the first female director of OSBI, came under scrutiny again after she recommended restructuring the commission overseeing her agency. During a legislative hearing in September, she proposed reducing the governor’s appointments from all seven commission positions to just one, arguing it would strengthen the board’s independence.

During a Nov. 20 OSBI Commission meeting, newly appointed Commissioner Jerry Cason called for a special session to review Spurlock’s performance. The commission approved his request, fueling speculation about internal unrest. Cason declined to get into specifics about his request but expressed the importance of consistency and transparency in the agency’s processes, especially when dealing with concerns from the public.

Spurlock said she welcomed the inquiry in Nov. 2024.

“If one or more of the commissioners has any concerns about the director’s performance, those details have not been shared with us,” Hunter McKee, OSBI’s public information manager, said by email following the November commission meeting, “We only became aware when the request was made at today’s meeting. Director Spurlock looks forward to participating in the performance review process and is confident that whatever the questions or concerns, they can be positively addressed at the next meeting. Until then, OSBI will continue to provide excellence in service for our stakeholders and fulfill our mission of protecting Oklahoma one partnership at a time.”

The abrupt resignation leaves the agency in a state of transition ahead of the Jan. 30 special meeting. Spurlock informed the agency via email that Deputy Director Steven Carter will assume the role of interim director beginning Friday, January 17.

The OSBI has not yet announced an interim director. 

Spurlock's full announcement read:

After 23 incredible years with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, it is with mixed emotions that I am writing to formally announce my retirement as Director of the OSBI effective March 1, 2025. While I am excited to begin this next chapter, the decision to leave was not an easy one. I will miss all those who have been part of this incredible journey. I am certain, however, that the OSBI team in place today is passionate about the agency and its service to the State of Oklahoma. It is also equipped with individuals that will help the agency excel not despite but because of challenges. Together they will continue to build upon the strong foundation established over the years. It is that knowledge that allows me to be confident that this is the right time for me to step away; for the OSBI, me, and my family. When I accepted the Director’s role in 2022, I looked at it as an opportunity to continue the agency’s growth momentum and to help ensure that the agency and team I love continued to thrive as it approached its Centennial. Since that time, the team and I have evaluated priorities, rebranded, been innovative, and generally challenged the status quo in ways that without exception have made OSBI better. We have strengthened our “One Team, One Mission” philosophy to ensure it resonates across our organization. We have actively engaged our partner agencies in collaborations that improve public safety as a whole and are also fiscally responsible. Recognizing that community satisfaction with public safety is directly related to the interactions they have with those representatives, we have expanded our direct interactions with our community members outside of calls for service. In all things, we have looked for ways to become more effective and efficient and have focused on ways to best serve our stakeholders.

Since 1925, the State of Oklahoma has looked to the OSBI to exemplify professionalism and excellence in public safety service. We have embraced this responsibility, and our greatest asset—our dedicated team—will continue to be what propels the OSBI forward. OSBI as an entity has long understood that to be recognized, respected, and to bring value to those we serve requires only the commitment to do good and willingness to do right; regardless. It does not require anyone to be less than. It simply means we remain focused on our mission in support of the missions of others; for the betterment of the whole. No one entity operates in a vacuum and to be better together requires authentic collaboration. I would encourage those who will continue the OSBI’s work to remain engaged, continue to foster collaborative partnerships, and be good stewards with all they are entrusted. Additionally, to never stop asking the tough questions and to be guided by their virtue and integrity. This will make certain that the OSBI continues to deliver excellence through innovative expertise, solutions, and services for the next 100 years. Over the next couple of weeks, I will continue to work with the team to ensure that OSBI operations remain uninterrupted and the impact of change is minimal. While it is my time to transition from my current role, I remain committed to ensuring that distractions do not overshadow the tremendous work that is done by the OSBI team all across our great state. I remain humbled at the support that has been given to the OSBI by our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, the communities we serve, and legislative decision-makers. The talent, tenacity, and selflessness of the men and women that make up the OSBI family remain unmatched, and I am profoundly proud of them all. With them, I have been blessed with many moments and lasting memories. Each has taught me something I will take with me and I am thankful for having had their support and the opportunity to serve them as their director. I will forever remain a fervent advocate for public safety in Oklahoma and particularly for the OSBI as they continue “Protecting Oklahoma one partnership at a time.”