Remembering Leslie Filson, One Of OKC’s First Black Police Detectives

In protective gloves, a daughter carefully takes News 9 back in time. Her father is believed to be one of the first Black detectives in Oklahoma City.

Tuesday, February 7th 2023, 5:02 pm



Leslie Filson lived in northeast Oklahoma City in the 1940s. His daughter, Carolyn Filson said he didn't just live there, he worked there too and had a goal to help his community thrive.

A proud daughter is sharing her father's story.

“This is my dad and his patrol partner, and these are the plain clothes detectives,” Filson said.

In protective gloves, Carolyn carefully takes News 9 back in time. Carolyn's father is believed to be one of the first Black detectives in Oklahoma City.

“Here's a picture of him in 1940,” Filson said.

In Carolyn’s kitchen is a table full of black and white photos that depict Filson's dedication to the northeast Oklahoma City community. His daughter said him being a detective wasn't just a job.

“He confiscated ten gallons of corn liquor driven by that man,” Filson said.

Carolyn said he cared about the people he protected. He was an anchor to the community he served.

“He was on the job all of the time. A neighbor that we had, someone broke into their house. They lived behind us. He grabbed his gun and ran into her house,” Filson said.

Filson said the job did come with challenges; he was not allowed to patrol south of Northeast 3rd Street.

“They got called over to the southside. That didn't ever really happen and they went to the house. It was a domestic call, and a lady opened the door and she was all beat up. She was just all beat up. She looked at them and said I want a white officer,” Filson said.

Carolyn said she could see the discouragement in his face some nights, but it never stopped him from serving.

“We are a resilient people. We have gone through so much, and we have survived, and we have come out,” Filson said.

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