Sheriff Department in Garvin County, (Redbird, May: lawyer, luxury, job)

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

My experience on I-35 with county cops was even worse than sberdrow.

One Saturday night several years ago was a hellish nightmare and a half for me to get through. No one should have to go through this following ordeal without better justification. Hold on, it's a long story.

I was driving on my way to visit in OKC on I-35 late one Sat. evening when
I was stopped by two Logan County cops. The two fat bubbas didn't like it because I was doing 74 mph and driving left of center. I was asked, and denied drinking as well as a search of my car. They put me through sobriety tests, which I failed, especially, the follow tip of the pin part. Those tests may be easy to perform in the comfort of your home, but try them with the cops on the shoulder of I-35 while you're shaky and nervous along with a cold north wind blowing. I got arrested and handcuffed. While I watched from the back seat of their patrol car, the cops searched my car, including the trunk.

When finished, one cop radioed for drug drugs because he found a marijuana seed on the floor board. But no dogs were available. I was dumbfounded. I never had any marijuana in my car and the very few people in my car since I last vacumed it out never let me on if they messed with it. With Oklahoma cops known to dismantle vehicles over a signal from a dog, I was sure glad about no doggie.

It was useless to argue, but I tried to briefly, anyway. I asked the
cop if he ever heard of driver fatigue. He shot back that 86% of people who
fail sobriety tests are DUI. He told me while maybe it wasn't alcohol, I was
driving under the influence of some kind of intoxicants, for sure. He had noted
my red eyes, but sometimes they get dry and irritated.

Next, the wrecker came to get my car, and I was off with the cops to the Guthrie hospital to get 4 vials of blood drawn to get tested. I asked why a breathalyzer wasn't being used. Results would be much faster. I was told it wasn't in working order.

Next, it was off to the courthouse to get booked. The bail bondsman I called wasn't available, so left him a message. The guy booking me in also wore a dispatcher's hat. It was busy for a Saturday night, so I had to sit on a wooden bench for nearly 4 hours before things eased so the dispatcher could take me to the jail closet to get changed and issued a mat and blanket. At least, the dispatcher didn't feel fit to use the handcuffs on the bench on me. It was now 3 AM, and I was finally escorted into jail. It was like a party going on. A radio was blaring out rock from KATT while a bunch of guys were playing cards. One of the card players told me it's standing room only. That meant no bunk space left. He pointed to a place on the floor by the wall where I could lay my mat.

I sat on my mat and sized up the situation. Logan County Jail is very old, a literal rat hole. With the noise from cards slapping and the music, I knew I wasn't going to be
able to doze off, even though tired. Didn't dare to, anyway, in such a
unfamiliar environment. Besides, I soon realized more loud noise was coming
from a occasional flushing toilet. Yeah, it would be my luck; they would put
me not far from the toilet. (I later learned I could have been directed to a lot worse corner. ) I looked on the wall immediately next to me to see
what was marked on it and thought, "oh, Jesus." It was a large, well done
drawing depicting Jesus. That was nice and feeling consoled, I shifted my gaze over to a corner wall lined with some holes and spotted quite a strange sight prompting me to think "oh, Jesus", again. Making a sudden appearance, a black rat crawled out of one of the holes, looked around, and jumped back in the hole in the wall. Oh, well, I heard of rats in jails and wasn't overly surprised. I was tired. I didn't want to see any more "oh, Jesus" sights and feeling rather cold, too, it felt better to just lay down and cover up with the white blanket, using the palm of my hand as a pillow. It admittedly felt more comfortable than that hard wooden bench.

The card game and radio quit, but a TV was going somewhere,
but it was quieter. Time all too slowly passed before someone said breakfast
was about ready. I followed over where the guys were gathered, waiting for it.
Boredom from waiting on breakfast was lessened from hearing a couple of Guthrie guys comparing notes about the women they mutually knew and joking about them. One guy leering at me from his bunk bed kinda made me nervous, though. I heard my name called and walked up to the jail bars to get handed a plate. I returned to my mat with it. It consisted of two slices of sausage, scrambled eggs with no seasoning, and two biscuits with jelly. I wasn't in the mood to eat much of it. The jail talk turned to the sausage and biscuits, and if anyone wanted to give away theirs. In response, one guy said, "I got a sausage you can have, and it's a big one." It drew no response. And I thought, you can talk like that around here without getting punched?

After breakfast the jail trustee went
around handing out cigarettes to everyone. I declined, and thought how ironic
a cop would get excited over a marijuana seed in my car while in a place like
this, the drug of nicotine is freely handed out. Soon heard someone say
church services were about to start. Many of the guys headed to the front for
it. I stayed put. I didn't feel desperate for it since I'm already saved. A
real loud, shouting preacher began his sermon with organ music in the
background. I decided to go to the front, after all, to see how it was going.
I find loud preachers rather amusing, but it was crowded and couldn't see a
bucket or anything else to sit on, so went back to my mat. The preacher was so loud I could hear much of his sermon, anyway. It was something else, though, when the preacher arrived to the word "forever" in his sermon in reference to that going to Hell was about. He yelled out that word with so much sudden, heavy emphasis at the top of his lungs, it almost made my ears hurt. He made reference to the people in the back of the jail where I was, so guess he wanted to make sure he was reaching them, too.

The
sermon ended and with nothing going on, I was getting anxious. I didn't want
to try handling being confined in this rathole much longer. Finally, at around
10 AM, I heard my named called out from the jail door. It was my bondsman who came to help set me free. He was kind enough to drive me to an ATM, so I could give him $175.00 for the bond, and then drove me to the wrecker service, so I could get my car and return home. Quite a Godsend, he was.

Returning back to the courthouse, Monday, for my court arraignment there
were only 2 counts against me--DUI and driving left of center. Speeding was
gone. I plead not guilty.

To conclude, I got with a lawyer who was once a former state senator and unsuccessful Democrat candidate for governor. My blood test came back negative and my lawyer took care of everything else for me. Never had to go back to the judge or got any tickets. All charges dismissed. The unjust experience I went thru along with the $750 lawyer fee and $125 wrecker fee was more than enough punishment, though.

So be very careful when passing through Logan County.
Your body being drug and alcohol free is no sure sign you're safe from the fat
bubbas wanting to arrest ya. Remember the breathalyzer machine may not be working, or so they say. If arrested, you may very well see Jesus in some countyJail, but in there I can still hear some poor young kid crying out "f*** this place", and that that big black rat may still be in there, too!

OMG that was a heck of a lot worse. I would get that story in the News Paper if I were you. I had it pretty lucky compared to you. Gotta watch out for the bubbas.

[ustabacop]

Originally Posted by sberdrow

I had a horrible experience on hwy 35 about 30 miles south of Purcell. I was driving North, obeying all the laws, when some redneck deputy pulled me over for a tail light out. Next thing you know it, 3 or 4 other deputies pulled up and were flashing there lights. OMG what in the world are they doing? Next thing you know it, I was told that I was to be searched. (No warrant), and just like the gastopo, they started going thru my stuff. They would not let me view what they were doing. I was sure they were going to plant something. They said based on my eyes, they would search my car for Narcotics. They then brought a dog to search my vehical. The dog found nothing, but the cop made it sound like the dog did. I used to handle drug dogs in the Navy, so I know when a dog has found something. The dog had NO INTEREST in my car at all. Next thing you know they were crawling all over my front seat, once again with out my permission. The older ulgy deputy said they found white powder on my seat. They asked me to explain it, I thought it might have food or somthing. The deputy then pulled out a test of somekind (I never was allowed to see what the heck they were doing) Bingo, as you guessed it, the cop said it tested positive for Cocaine (big suprise). They tried to bully me into a confession. When I denied it they told me that they were going to take to to jail unless I was straight with them, and that if I just admitted it, they would let me go. Finally after 40 or so minutes, I was left to gather my stuff, which they had all over the road. I was finally allowed to leave. They made nasty comments about how I got lucky tonight. I said, I don't know how this could be lucky, the only mistake I made was driving thru your county. The dumb jerk said "Welcome to Oklahoma". and laughed. Some of my stuff was missing. When I got home I had a neighbor who worked for the sheriff test the white poweder and it was not cocaine. Turns out, it was residue for a stick of deorderant. I am now in touch with a lawyer for damages. I called the Undersherif and he told me he would investigate. Who knows what that will yeild. I would like to know if anybody has had the same experiences.

The group in the sheriffs office now cover each other and enforce the laws on who they want , GOOD OL BOY is an understatement!

[peggydavis]

If it's that bad there, some citizens should have a visit with the district attorney, or the governor.

[whip]

I'm not sure if I should say anything here. I have 10 years of service as an Officer and a Police chief. I agree there are bad apples and basically punks in the Sheriff departments and towns. But I believe there are far more good officers than bad, I also believe that the officers should receive more hours in training but that cost's money that most department do not have.

There is one department that is a cut above the rest and that is the OHP.

I'm not going to say a lot right now but I will watch this topic and chime in every once in a while.

[SeabeeBolt]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

If it's that bad there, some citizens should have a visit with the district attorney, or the governor.

Its not as easy as you might think, they will cover for one another no matter what. Uh, until the ship starts to sink, then the rats start jumping for cover.

When I worked in the prison system here in Ohio I was one of the Officers that didn't go along with the good ole boys club. And some of them didn't like me just because of that, I DID MY JOB and thats all. The inmates new that I wasn't one to go around and mess with them or be a buddy, I was a C/O and they were inmates that's it. But on the other hand I wouldn't put up with another C/O coming into my housing unit and mess with any of the inmates under my control and the inmates new that as well. Again, I had a job to do and all inmates were treated Fair, Firm and consistently and a few inmates told me that they respected me because of that.

Now as things would have it, they had a habit of covering for each other even though they new what they did was wrong. And in the prison system, the inmate always hold the upper hand if Doo Doo hit the fan. Check to see if the state of Oklahoma has an Internal Affairs Unit where you can file complaints against the department. And at the same time contact the media, having it broadcasted will make the Governor take a look for himself.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by whip

I'm not sure if I should say anything here. I have 10 years of service as an Officer and a Police chief. I agree there are bad apples and basically punks in the Sheriff departments and towns. But I believe there are far more good officers than bad, I also believe that the officers should receive more hours in training but that cost's money that most department do not have.

There is one department that is a cut above the rest and that is the OHP.

I'm not going to say a lot right now but I will watch this topic and chime in every once in a while.

I've also had unjust treatment by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. After my one car accident he made me go thru a sobriety test. He didn't appreciate the way I performed and took me to the Stillwater police station to breath into a breathlyzer. The test registered ZERO for alcohol. The officer told me that was the first time that happened to him in which someone he arrested like that tested ZERO, and he let me go.

I've been stopped and put thru sobriety tests by officers several other times, found OK and not put under arrest, so I don't know what the problem is.

[redbird4848]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

I've also had unjust treatment by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. After my one car accident he made me go thru a sobriety test. He didn't appreciate the way I performed and took me to the Stillwater police station to breath into a breathlyzer. The test registered ZERO for alcohol. The officer told me that was the first time that happened to him in which someone he arrested like that tested ZERO, and he let me go.

I've been stopped and put thru sobriety tests by officers several other times, found OK and not put under arrest, so I don't know what the problem is.

You are lucky he didn't give you a ticket for DWUI-of-UNKNOWN SUBSTANCES! I've seen that happen when someone is high, but not on alcohol.

I agree with Seebee and Whip. There are still too many good cops for which I have great respect~ I know firsthand the type of criminals in OK that law enforcement put behind bars on a daily basis. And I am grateful for those men who put their lives on the line on a daily basis. I hope people don't think OK has a lot of bad cops, because IMHO, the bad cops are in a great minority.

I don't like racist cops. And having tribal tags in certain counties makes one a target if driving after 2 am. Its just a fact of life in certain areas of Oklahoma. Enough said.

BTW, Seebee, I was a C/O also here in OK. I left a private prison because of the good ol boy network and went to work for the state prison system. Nothing worse than dirty staff.

[necabin]

OMG, that is terrible. Are you sure they were cops? Did they show ID ? I ask because a couple of summers ago we had a spell of women driver's being harrassed by people dressed as cops. Newspapers, radio and TV even got into it by advising women that were being followed by a cop car to go to a public place before stopping.
I guess I would not stop with an attorney but go to the media. Write an anonimous letter to the editor. Explain further you are not signing your name to protect yourself and family. However, you feel the public should be aware.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by whip

I'm not sure if I should say anything here. I have 10 years of service as an Officer and a Police chief. I agree there are bad apples and basically punks in the Sheriff departments and towns. But I believe there are far more good officers than bad, I also believe that the officers should receive more hours in training but that cost's money that most department do not have.

There is one department that is a cut above the rest and that is the OHP.

I'm not going to say a lot right now but I will watch this topic and chime in every once in a while.

Well, I would say that the goofballs that stopped me seem VERY uneducated. Garvin County sheriff depts might be some of the most simple minded law inforcement officers (or thugs is a better word for it). I got no results from the Undersheriff. I recieved no traction from the News paper. No one cares about an out of stater who got one of the most dramatic nights of his life. Best thinkg I can think to do is make sure NO MONEY of mine ever gets spent in a state that just doesnt give a rip. If any Newspaper or persons of auhority would like to listen and do something....like actually investigate and not feed me crap that it will be taken care of, then that might change my mind.

By the amount of posts here, its seems that a few others are having problems in OK. Ill never forget those words form that corrupt deputy after I asked why this is happening to me; He said with a smile: " Welcome to Oklahoma".

[redbird4848]

I'm certainly not defending "bad cops", but I will say OK is a corridor for drug trafficking. We are the route taken for drugs going north/south and east/west. Quite of few of the inmates serving time for trafficking are from out of state.

Sorry to hear of your experiences. It seems like one person gets all the negative attention of many. As I stated before, seems like I am never pulled over. Guess I have that "bubba" look, and they think I am one of their own!