Oklahoma City Police Department
Oklahoma City Police Department | |
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Chief of Police | |
Facilities | |
Stations | 10 |
Airbases | 1 |
Boats | 2 |
Helicopters | 2 |
German Shepherds | 9 |
Website | |
www |
The Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD), was established in 1889 following the Land Run. The OCPD is the largest law enforcement agency in the
Specialized services which are part of the OCPD include the
The OCPD has a crime scene investigation service and full crime laboratory, as well as units which assist with electronic and computer crime investigations. In 2015, there were 1,169 sworn officers and 300 civilians employees serving in the department.
History
Formation
The Oklahoma City Police Department was officially formed following the
World War I & Post War
During the war, the OCPD established a Traffic Department and motorcycle squad.
Great Depression era
America's
Perhaps one of the department's most interesting lawmen emerged during this time. D.A. "Jelly" Bryce, joined the OCPD in 1928.[4]
Known for his dapper appearance, he earned the nickname "Jelly" from fellow officers.
World War II & Post War
Throughout the World War II, the department suffered from a severe shortage of manpower.[3][page needed] As a result, the requirements to become a police officer were relaxed and many clerical positions were filled by civilians.[4]
Following the war, the OCPD began a move towards specialization and professionalization. The department created a training unit.[3][page needed] The unit conducted a 144-hour training course for new recruits.[3][page needed] The department began new investigation units, such as burglary, traffic accident, white collar crime, and fingerprint collection.[4]
1960s
During the early 1960s, the OCPD established a
1970s
In the 1970s, the OCPD began the Alcohol Safety Action Project (ASAP) designed to reduce drunk driving.
1980s
In the 1980s the city's population rapid grew, and so did crime rates.
1990s
On April 19, 1995
21st Century
In response to the tornado outbreaks, the OCPD changed its policy regarding tornado sirens. Tornado sirens are now activated in localized areas, instead of citywide activations.[10]
In the fall of 2015, the department opened a new headquarters building at 700 Colcord Drive. The new building cost approximately $22 million and has a floor area of more than 88,000 square feet. The building houses approximately 300 civilians, detectives, and administrators.[11] In 2021, the previous police headquarters building at 701 Colcord Drive is being demolished.
In 2015, the OCPD announced plans to implement
As of 2020, new recruits are issued the SIG Sauer P320 chambered in 9ร19mm Parabellum. Prior new recruits were issued Glock for the sidearm. [12]
Office of the Chief
The Chief's offices are located at the main police headquarters at 700 Colcord Dr on the west side of Downtown Oklahoma City.
The Chief's office oversees the operations of the Special Investigations Division (SID),
Rank structure
Rank | Insignia | Description |
---|---|---|
Colonel | Appointed as the Chief of Police of the department Responsible for overseeing department-wide operations | |
Lieutenant Colonel | Holds the Position of Deputy Chief Of Police Responsible for overseeing operation, investigation and administration sections (There are 3 deputy chief of Police in department) | |
Major | Responsible for overseeing division wide operations | |
Captain | Responsible for overseeing shift-wide operations. | |
Lieutenant | First supervisory rank | |
Master Sergeant
|
Senior patrol title, denoting at least 15 years of service | |
Staff Sergeant
|
Title denoting at least 10 years of service | |
Sergeant | Title denoting at least 5 years of service | |
Detective | Title given to officers or sergeants assigned to investigations | |
Police Officer
|
Rank attained by recruits upon the completion of one year of probationary status | |
Probationary Officer | Title given to recruits after the completion of the Field Training Program | |
Recruit Officer | Rank attained after graduation from the police academy | |
Recruit | Title given to personnel while assigned as a student in the police academy |
Operations
Administration
The Administration Bureau provides administrative functions, such as training and recruiting, planning and research, and logistics support. it is located at police headquarters in downtown OKC. it also supervises the
Operations
The Operations Bureau provides the bulk of the visible police operations that would be seen by the public. It includes the patrol divisions, as well as several specialized units such as the athletic league and a community relations unit.
There are four patrol divisions and one sub-division, which serve the various geographical areas of Oklahoma City:
- Hefner Division (Northwest Oklahoma City)
- Southwest Division (Southwest Oklahoma City)
- Santa Fe Division (Southeast Oklahoma City)
- Springlake Division (Northeast Oklahoma City)
- Bricktown Sub-division (Bricktown and downtown Oklahoma City)
Uniform Support
The Uniform Support Division includes special units. These units assist patrol officers with specialized skills and equipment. Some of the units are part-time and officers are assigned elsewhere until needed.[3][page needed]
Awards
The department presents a number of medals and ribbons to its members for honorable service. The medals that the OCPD awards to its officers are as follows:[14]
- Police Medal of Honor โ The highest award in the department. The medal is awarded for extraordinary act of bravely performed at tremendous personal risk to the officer.
- The Police Cross โ The department's second highest award. The cross is awarded to the family member of a fallen officer.
- Medal of Valor โ The third highest award. The medal is awarded to an officer for an exceptional act of bravery in the face of peril.
- Police Medal for Meritorious Service โ The medal is awarded to an officer for excellent service performed in a distinguished fashion.
The department has awarded service ribbons commemorating the service officers who participated in the search and rescue efforts following the Oklahoma City bombing. The OCPD also awards officers a ribbon for life-saving action taken during the course of their duties.[3][page needed]
Fallen Officers
Since the establishment of the Oklahoma City Police Department, 31 officers and one recruit officer have died in the line of duty.[15] There is a memorial to fallen OCPD officers at police headquarters.[3][page needed]
Fallen K-9
About 8:30 AM Friday, March 16, 2001, Joseph L. Meyer, 33, fled on foot the scene of a non-injury accident near NW 36th and Pennsylvania. About the same time Justin Cornielson was preparing to unload cases of Budweiser beer from a tractor-trailer at the Homeland grocery store at NW 39th and Pennsylvania (Penn). Cornielson had just opened the back of his truck when Meyer climbed into the driverโs seat and started driving off. Oklahoma City Police officers started pursuing the stolen beer truck south bound on Penn. The truck turned east on NW 5th street. Cases of beer were flying out on to the street.
As the chase neared Walker Avenue Sgt. Jim Wheatley tried to ram the truck but got his scout car trapped under the truck and was being dragged. Meyer turned the truck right at Walker, freeing the scout car, but lost control and crashed the truck into a building at 500 N Walker.
As officers scrambled out of their cars, police dog Rudy was unintentionally allowed to leave his police K-9 unit and mistakenly attacked Police Sgt. Randy Hall. Hall thought he was being attacked by a neighborhood dog and shot it, killing K-9 Rudy, a 10-year-old Belgian Malinois. Rudy had served with the Oklahoma City Police Department for five years with his partner and handler, Sgt. Lyndell Easley. Rudy had served with a law enforcement agency in Michigan prior to coming to Oklahoma City.
Joseph Meyer was arrested near the scene and charged with larceny of a vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon and attempting to elude police.
In 2014, the department's second line-of-duty death of a K-9 occurred, when police dog "Kye" was stabbed to death by a man attempting to avoid police capture.[16]
Misconduct
History
The OCPD's public integrity unit traces its history to the earliest days of the department. During the World War I era, rules governing the conduct of officers were strict.[3][page needed] Smoking while in uniform was strictly prohibited and officers were barred from working other jobs.[3][page needed] A department rulebook from the time states, "All members of the Police Department shall be considered as ALWAYS on duty and the same responsibility for the suppression of disturbance and the arrest of offenders rests upon them when not in uniform as when on post of duty."[4]
Office of Professional Standards
Allegations of misconduct are investigated by the OCPD's Office of Professional Standards (OPS).[3][page needed] The office is composed of supervisors, who work in conjunction with specialized detective units to investigate claims of misconduct, including those both criminal or unprofessional in nature.[17] Following an investigation by the Office of Professional Standards, a Citizen's Advisory Board, composed of 11 civilians from the community, reviews the allegations and the findings of the investigation.[3][page needed] Following the review, the civilian board may submit recommendations to the chief of police or the city manager.[17]
Body worn cameras
In 2015, the department announced plans to implement
Scandals
In 1985, the department hired Joyce Gilchrist as a police chemist. In 1994 she was promoted to supervisor. She was fired in 2001 for "flawed casework analysis" and "laboratory mismanagement." She had testified in eleven cases that had resulted in executions and at least one that resulted in a four million dollar settlement by the city because of her faulty testimony.[21]
In December 2010, the department agreed to formally apologize and pay $30,000 to a woman who was mistakenly arrested in front of her grandchildren in 2009, after her name was incorrectly entered into a database by a police clerk.[22]
In July 2011, Oklahoma City police arrested about twenty children who were waiting outside a movie theatre after the movie ended. They were initially charged with curfew violations, although the arrests happened twenty minutes before the 11:00PM deadline. Police Chief Bill Citty admitted the officers involved made a mistake.[23]
In March 2012, Officer Roland Benavides was convicted of gambling offenses and given a five-year deferred sentence. He had resigned from the force the preceding January, after he was caught.[24][25]
In August 2012, Sergeant Maurice Martinez pleaded guilty to 12 counts of sexual abuse of foster children in his care.[26][27]
In December 2015 Officer Daniel Holtzclaw was convicted of 18 charges of rape or sexually assault against multiple women (ranging in age from 17 to 57) on his patrol route. He was also found not guilty on 18 charges. Investigations showed that Holtzclaw had run background checks on some of his victims, targeting women with criminal records. Holtzclaw was fired from the department before the trial began in January, and after the guilty verdict was returned, Police Chief Citty issued a statement that "we are satisfied with the jury's decision and firmly believe justice was served".[28][29] The conviction is controversial. Michelle Malkin argues that Holtzclaw was wrongfully convicted in the case, which she calls a "Monstrous miscarriage of justice."[30]
On November 15, 2017, Sgt. Keith Sweeney responded to a call with an emotionally disturbed person, Dustin Pigeon, who was threatening to light himself on fire. Pigeon was holding a bottle of lighter fluid and a lighter. Sweeney, who was the third officer to arrive at the call, has been criticized for escalating the interaction, which eventually resulted in Sweeney shooting and killing Pigeon. After reviewing the incident, Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater filed 2nd Degree Murder charges against Sweeney. In an August 2018 preliminary hearing, Oklahoma County Special Judge Kathryn Savage found enough evidence to bind Sweeney for trial.[31][32]
In mid-2019 the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation reported that the department had more than 1,500 untested rape kits in storage.[33]
In March 2023 a police captain was pulled over for drunk drving and in the process was repeatedly trying to tell the officer to turn his body camera off but the officer refused and arrested him he was suspended from his position after an investigation concluded. [34]
Training
Police Academy
Applicants who are accepted into OCPD Police Academy begin their employment as a "Police Recruit" at the OCPD Training Center at 800 North Portland Avenue.[3][page needed] The OKCPD police academy lasts 28 weeks and is mostly a non-residential academy.[3][page needed] Recruits are paid employees while attending the academy.[35]
Field Training Program
The OCPD Field training program (FTO) is modeled after the San Jose system.[9] The program requires graduates of the police academy to complete a four- to six-month-long training phase in the field with a senior officer.[9] During the FTO program, Recruit Officers are graded daily on more than 30 different categories ranging from personal safety to interactions with citizens.[9] Officers must have acceptable scores to continue through the program.[9]
Cadet Program
In 2015, the OCPD entered into an official partnership with the OKC Metro Tech.[36] The partnership created an "OCPD Cadet Academy."[36] The program is designed to prepare high school students for careers in public safety or law enforcement.[36] Students are introduced to the basics of law enforcement, such as defensive tactics, forensic investigations, and criminal law.[36] In addition, cadets receive training in emergency vehicle driving and weapons. The goal of the program is to groom high school students for the OCPD Police Academy.[36]
Vehicles and aircraft
Vehicles
In 2012, OCPD began transitioning to the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan and Ford Police Interceptor Utility for patrol officers. In appearance, the vehicles are all black. The word "POLICE" is printed in large white letters on the side doors, and "We Serve With Pride" appears above the rear wheel wells. The seal of the
Aircraft
In 2014, the department began using two
helicopters as its air-support assets.Firearms
In 1990 the department abandoned the S&W Model 65 revolver and began issuing the Glock 17 9mm pistol. The Glock pistol remained the primary issue sidearm of the department until 2017, when it switched to the
In 2007 the department implemented a patrol rifle program. Officers are selected for the department's patrol rifle school, and upon successful completion are issued a
The OCPD Tactical Team uses a range of specialized weapons, including the Rock River AR-15 and Heckler & Koch G36K assault rifle, as well as the Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun and custom made sniper rifles.
In the past the department allowed a variety of weapons, and during Prohibition, some officers carried Thompson submachine guns. The department still maintains some of the historic Thompson guns in its inventory.[3][page needed]
References
- ^ Sullivan, Carl; Baranauckas, Carla (June 26, 2020). "Here's how much money goes to police departments in largest cities across the U.S." USA Today. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "The Oklahoman - Newspaper".
- ^ ISBN 9781563112805.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History 1930 to 1950". www.okc.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-29.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c "Bryce, Jacob Adolphus | Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". www.okhistory.org. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-59652-757-7.
- ^ a b c "FBI | Cover Story". stories.fbi.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-29.
- ^ First female police officers in Oklahoma City proved they could do the job
- ^ a b c d e "History 1970 to 1990". www.okc.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-29.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Oklahoma City adopts new tornado siren policy". KFOR.com. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
- ^ "Oklahoma City opens new police headquarters". NewsOK.com. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
- ^ https://www.southwestledger.news/news/ohp-troopers-carry-p320s-okcpd-reports-no-issues-lpd-armed-glock-21s.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "City of Oklahoma City | Police&Fire Equipment". Archived from the original on 2004-01-01.
- ^ "Oklahoma City Police Department Awards". okc.gov. Retrieved January 4, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Oklahoma City Police Department". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2015-12-29.
- ^ "One Year Since Death Of OKC Police K-9 Kye". www.news9.com. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
- ^ a b "Citizens Advisory Board". www.okc.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-03.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Lett, Lacey (January 22, 2016). "Oklahoma City Police Department launches body camera program". KFOR-TV. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
- ^ Manwarren, Leighanne (June 14, 2016). "OKC Police Officers To No Longer Wear Body Cameras". KWTV-DT News9. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
- ^ "Oklahoma City body camera program full implemented". NewsOK.com. 2018-02-17. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
- ^ "Police Chemist Accused of Shoddy Work Is Fired". New York Times. Associated Press. September 26, 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
- ^ Dean, Bryan (December 18, 2010). "OKC settles lawsuit filed by wrongfully arrested woman". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
- ^ Dean, Bryan (July 20, 2011). "Oklahoma City parents complain police wrongly rounded up teenagers in Bricktown". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
- ^ Glenn Cannon, Jane (March 16, 2012). "Former Oklahoma City police officer pleads guilty to violating anti-gambling laws". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
- ^ "Former OKC Police Officer Pleads Guilty To Illegal Gambling". KWTV. March 16, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
- ^ Stewart, Sarah (August 21, 2012). "OKC Police Sgt. pleads guilty to sex abuse". KFOR. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
- ^ Monahan, Lisa (April 12, 2013). "Former OKC Officer Convicted Of Child Sex Abuse Speaks To News 9". KOTV. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
- ^ "Ex-cop guilty on 18 counts in Oklahoma City rape trial". Chicago Sun-Times. Associated Press. December 10, 2015. Archived from the original on December 15, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
- ^ Redden, Molly (December 10, 2015). "Daniel Holtzclaw: former Oklahoma City police officer guilty of rape". The Guardian. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
- ^ Michelle Malkin (December 5, 2016). "What If the Convicted 'Serial Rapist' Cop Is Innocent?". National Review.
- ^ "Judge orders OKC officer to face trial in deadly on-duty shooting of unarmed, suicidal man". NewsOK.com. 2018-08-18. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
- ^ NonDoc Media (2017-12-05), OKCPD body cam footage: Shooting of Dustin Pigeon, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2018-10-16
- ^ Standish, Erika (31 July 2019). "Bill signing paves the way for justice for sexual assault victims". Fox. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ "'I'm not turning my camera off': Oklahoma City police release bodycam of captain's arrest".
- ^ "Recruiting". okc.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
- ^ a b c d e "Metro Tech forms partnership with Oklahoma City Police Department | Metro Technology Centers". www.metrotech.edu. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
- ^ "Oklahoma City Police Department unveils new helicopters". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 2015-12-26.