Oswald Dunbar
Voiced by Ralph Byers
Oswald Dunbar is one of the named cast of Red Dead Redemption 2, working as character. The facts below are the ones the wiki records.
Turns up in the story without fitting any of the other labels.
- Role
- Other characters
- Voice actor
- Ralph Byers
- Status
- Not stated
- Occupation
- Police Chief of Blackwater
- Affiliations
- Blackwater Police Department
Player notes
Oswald Dunbar is the long-serving chief of the Blackwater Police Department in Blackwater, West Elizabeth. Married to Freda, he is regarded by the town's residents as a courteous officer committed to public safety and order. In 1898, he wears a dark blue department uniform with gold trim, a badge and a matching mountie hat, with long hair and a mustache. He works from the police office, overseeing deputies and prisoners brought into Blackwater.
In Red Dead Online, marshals bring the arrested protagonist before Dunbar at his desk. He objects to the way the arrest has been handled, but agrees that the prisoner must face trial. Later, he catches a deputy responsible for letting a notorious swindler escape from a cell. Fearing that the mistake could cost him his position, Dunbar angrily sends the protagonist and their posse after the fugitive. Bounty hunters also bring wanted criminals from Blackwater's bounty board to his office, alive or dead.
By 1907, Dunbar has cut his hair short, shaved his mustache and adopted a peaked blue hat and white gloves with his uniform. At the end of "An Honest Day's Labors", John Marston and Sadie Adler deliver Shane Finley to the Blackwater police office, where Dunbar receives the captive. He also takes custody of Elias Green, Otis Skinner and Herman Zizendorf when they are brought in on their bounties. Rumours in Blackwater say he plans to retire at the end of the year. He remains at his office in Blackwater.
Trivia
- โAn in-game newspaper article refers to him by the title of sheriff. Additionally, in the intro cutscene to Red Dead Online where the player creates their online character, a deputy refers to him as a sheriff while in the mission "If The Hat Fits..." the game objectives and subtitles refer to him as a police chief. This was likely a developer oversight.
- โFurther, a conversation between Horley and Old Man Jones has them referring to him as both titles interchangeably.
- โDunbar once had a wife named Freda, whose grave can be found in Blackwater's cemetery. Even though the gravestone says that she died on November 6th, 1906, it is visible in Red Dead Online in 1898, and in 1899 if the player reaches Blackwater as Arthur.
- โIf brought in alive, the hangings of Elias Green and Otis Skinner will be overseen by an unnamed sheriff rather than Dunbar.
- โWhen delivering a dead bounty target in Red Dead Online, the game may use Dunbar's 1907 character model. This is likely a glitch.
- โUnused audio files exist in the game which Dunbar refers to Arthur Morgan by name and acknowledges his association with Dutch van der Linde. These were likely intended to be used in an early stage of development when the Great Plains could be accessed as Arthur.
- โBy the time the events of the first Red Dead Redemption take place in the year 1911, Dunbar no longer appears to be Blackwaterโs Cheif of Police. Itโs possible that he could have retired at some point due to his advanced age.
Character data from Red Dead Wiki, CC BY-SA. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games.
Last verified September 14, 2026