DUI in a Tulsa Patrol Car

[TeeDub]

How long before this gets swept under the rug?


3....  2....  1....

http://www.kten.com/Global/story.asp?S=9384415
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Tulsa police are investigating the use of alcohol at an event at the police training center and whether alcohol was involved in the crash of a patrol car.

Police Chief Ron Palmer says Internal Affairs is looking into the incident at his request.

Police records show that a patrol car driven by Officer Danny Bean hit a power pole and a security gate about 10:40 p.m. on Oct. 16.

The 2007 Dodge Charger patrol car was totaled.

Palmer says members of the police department's Special Operations Team held a barbecue after a day of training at the center and alcohol apparently was involved.

Palmer says alcohol should not be allowed at the center.

[brianh]

I will be a little disconcerted if my tax dollars go to replacing the police car if this is found to be alcohol related.  That should be an insurance thing.

[TeeDub]

The Tulsa World has a little more detail...  

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20081120_11_A1_hTPDIn946575

[patric]

Gee, what a stupid place to put that phone pole [)]
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20081119_298_Inve753221

[grahambino]

alcohol or not, why on earth was this guy driving an 'estimated' 55 mph through the training center?

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by grahambino

alcohol or not, why on earth was this guy driving an 'estimated' 55 mph through the training center?

After a woman drove into the flashing lights of a car stopped beside I-75 last night I was expecting some sort of "Zero Tolerance" photo-op today, but how does the pot call the kettle black now?

[carltonplace]

One thing they don't learn at the training acadamy is "How not to tailgate". I can't tell how many times one of the trainees has ridden my @$$ on HWY 75 in the construction zone until I could find a place to get over and out of their way. As soon as I get over they zoom past at warp speed.

[Ibanez]

quote:Originally posted by carltonplace

One thing they don't learn at the training acadamy is "How not to tailgate". I can't tell how many times one of the trainees has ridden my @$$ on HWY 75 in the construction zone until I could find a place to get over and out of their way. As soon as I get over they zoom past at warp speed.

and he was probably on a cell phone at the same time. I've never seen people glued to cell phones as much as the TPD seems to be.

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by carltonplace

One thing they don't learn at the training acadamy is "How not to tailgate". I can't tell how many times one of the trainees has ridden my @$$ on HWY 75 in the construction zone until I could find a place to get over and out of their way. As soon as I get over they zoom past at warp speed.

I've got a ticket because of this B.S. A few years ago, I was on 129th between 31st and 41st and a patrol car was riding my tail. I sped up to get to the part of the road where it widens, thinking that they were in a rush and needed to get around me. As soon as I hit the speed limit, they flashed their lights and pulled me over for speeding.

[carltonplace]

That sucks. Try slamming on your breaks and you'll get "accessive deceleration".

[mrnotducks]

These SOT "bbq"s have been going on for YEARS!!! And have included everyone from current Deputy Chiefs on down over the years. Why hang this poor newbie out to dry now? Why wasn't this type of thing stopped years ago? Besides any bbq-ing should take place at somebody's house, driving their PERSONAL cars.

[MDepr2007]

Why wasn't he given an alchohol test then or sent to a drug testing site? Most companies will send an employee for a test when involved in a wreck with a company car.
They should have to follow DOT rules but then again they would be over hours too often.... Maybe he just fell asleep at the wheel???

[JessnT]

{Police records show that Bean was driving at an estimated 55 mph when he lost control of his car on a curve at the training center. The car struck a utility pole, knocking out power to a nearby building and apparently setting off an intrusion alarm, according to dispatch records.

The car continued on and struck a security gate, which serves as an entryway to the United States Shooting Academy,.....}

Here's my question:  
So he's going 55 mph and hits a utility pole and somehow manages to recover from that pole smack to go on and hit a security gate and take that down??  Wonder what his grade was in the police driving course at the academy?

In all seriousness folks, don't people get killed by driving into utility poles???  I know what goes on at those barbeques and I can bet you my right pinkie finger that he was hammered.  A lot of it due to SOT (peer/beer) pressure!!  I really hope that this kid isn't the only one who takes the heat for this, like possibly getting canned.  
I do like how they are naming names and calling all the supervisors to the carpet, but as TD said, 3....2....1....Sweeeeeeep!!

In the end, I'm really glad the guy didn't run into another person or a family!  Imagine the covering up they'd have to do then!  Whew!!  

[grahambino]

quote:Originally posted by TURobY

quote:Originally posted by carltonplace

One thing they don't learn at the training acadamy is "How not to tailgate". I can't tell how many times one of the trainees has ridden my @$$ on HWY 75 in the construction zone until I could find a place to get over and out of their way. As soon as I get over they zoom past at warp speed.

I've got a ticket because of this B.S. A few years ago, I was on 129th between 31st and 41st and a patrol car was riding my tail. I sped up to get to the part of the road where it widens, thinking that they were in a rush and needed to get around me. As soon as I hit the speed limit, they flashed their lights and pulled me over for speeding.

that is a known tactic that cops will use.
they will tail like that you for a while, looking for any reason to pull you over.  it happened to me once from a OHP officer.  I had cruise set, just driving and look up in my rear view to see a cop inches from my bumper.  He rode my butt for a few miles before finally going around.  

You could also try throwing your car into low gear next time.  they will see no brake lights then...

not that i would suggest that at highway speeds.

[grahambino]

quote:Originally posted by MDepr2007

Why wasn't he given an alchohol test then or sent to a drug testing site? Most companies will send an employee for a test when involved in a wreck with a company car.
They should have to follow DOT rules but then again they would be over hours too often.... Maybe he just fell asleep at the wheel???

exactly.  i'm not sure of the CoT's policy but at one of my former places of employment if you get in a wreck in a company car, your supervisor comes and gets you immediately and you go right then for drug and alcohol testing.  If you're not seriously injured that is.  It doesn't matter if someone ran a red light and broadsided you, you'd still get tested immediately.

so, lets give this guy the benefit of the doubt and assume he wasn't drunk, right.  55 mph through that training area could certainly be considered reckless driving, shouldn't it?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=6066+East+66th+St+N,+Tulsa,+OK+74117&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=46.14027,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=36.247059,-95.908231&spn=0.005771,0.009656&t=h&z=17&iwloc=addr

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=q16wcg706svv&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=16538353&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

i'm assuming that's the place based on the address in the article.  I am not sure where this accident occurred, however. I can see a couple probable gates, but nothing definitive.

Either way, no one should not be driving 55mph though this area, that much is obvious and also applies to a person that has went through extensive driving lessons / training.