 As Secretary, Ward is responsible for overseeing the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security.Governor Henry, at the same time he appointed him Safety and Security Secretary, appointed Ward as the Commissioner of Public Safety, giving Ward direct control over the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.Ward served as Henry's Secretary of Safety and Security until the end of his term in 2011.