Longest-serving Police Officer retires from Ponca City Police Department

Ponca City Police Chief Don Bohon presents retiring Police Lieutenant Regeneia Van Arsdale with her framed badge Friday afternoon.

Regeneia Van Arsdale’s retirement reception was held Friday afternoon at the Public Safety Center.

Van Arsdale began her employment with the Ponca City Police Department in May of 1982 as a dispatcher. She was hired as a Police Officer in 1983, promoted to Sergeant in 1994 and then Lieutenant in 2012.

During her time with the Ponca City Police Department, she has served as a Dispatcher, a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, a Patrol Supervisor, DARE Officer, Detective, Detective Lieutenant, Administrative Lieutenant / Training Coordinator, Jail Administrator, Evidence Custodian, School Resource Officer Supervisor, FTO Supervisor, and Communications Center Supervisor.

Van Arsdale is the longest serving Police Officer in the history of the department, being the first Officer to complete 35 years as a Ponca City Police Officer. She is the last officer hired during the 1980s to retire, working for five Police Chiefs over the course of her career.

Regeneia was chosen as the Ponca City Police Department Officer of the Year in 2009 and was chosen as the 2011 Police Officer of the Year as presented by the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office and the District Attorneys Council for her work with Domestic Violence Victims. She has served on the Board of the Domestic Violence Program on North Central Oklahoma, now known as the Survivor Resource Network, for several years. She was the Vice President in 2016 and serves as the President of the Board now.

In 2017 she was appointed as a Board Member of the State 911 Management Authority. Also in 2017, Regeneia completed the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association three main courses and received the Trilogy Award.

She has been a 34-year member of the Oklahoma Women in Law Enforcement organization and served as Vice President for two years and Training Director for four years. Regeneia has been a 35-year member of the Fraternal Order of Police and served as secretary/treasurer for around six years.

During her time here, Regeneia completed her Bachelor’s Degree through the University of Oklahoma, and is nearing completion of her Master’s Degree through OU also.