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David Codrea, nationally known gun rights writer, produces regular columns about the ‘Only Ones’ files. These articles are dedicated to the purpose of not demeaning law enforcement officers, but to show they are not the only ones responsible enough to keep and bear arms. Today, I am using this commentary to nominate the Oklahoma State Troopers Association as worthy of the ‘Only Ones’ designation.
Last week, the OSTA declared House Bill 3354 (the Open Carry law) as “dangerous” to Oklahoma police officers. Even though nearly 100,000 law-abiding citizens have proved themselves as responsible and safe gun bearers since 1995, the Troopers Association chooses to portray this group as potentially harmful citizens.
I desire to state at this time my gratitude for the great service and sacrifices the law enforcement officers of Oklahoma provide the state 24 hours every day. This column is not being written to ridicule or belittle them in any way. However, when the OSTA chooses to influence legislation in Oklahoma, it becomes necessary to compare law-abiding citizens with some of the law enforcement community and recent events involving them.
So… How law-abiding and safe are Oklahoma State Troopers and other law enforcement officers of the state of Oklahoma? I quote Russell Knoke, OSTA president when I say, “it’s difficult to determine ‘who is the good guy and who is the bad guy’”.
Perhaps readers remember Oklahoma State Trooper Daniel Martin, who choked an EMT driver because he disrespected him:
A more recent event involves Tulsa police officer Thomas Fees, who pulled a firearm on a pub employee in a parking lot after being removed from the place of business. Fees has since resigned from the Tulsa police department in an attempt to resolve gun and alcohol charges.
Are there any grand jury inquiries looking into concealed carry permit holders in Oklahoma? Most likely there is not, but a very large investigation is taking place this year in Tulsa, looking into a drug ring headed up by a former ATF agent. Quite possibly officers in the Tulsa police department are heavily involved in the corruption taking place. The ATF officer has pled guilty, causing two members of the TPD to be suspended. In addition, nine people have been released from prison as a result of this probe.
What does this all this information tell us? Putting it simply, both law enforcement officers and law-abiding citizens are human. The OSTA has no solid ground to denigrate the decent people of Oklahoma by portraying them as dangerous, and the people of Oklahoma cannot generalize all the honest law officers as terrible, dangerous crooks.
Last week, Oklahoma State Troopers Association president Russell Knoke gave an example of a “dangerous situation”:
He said when officers arrive on a crime scene or respond to a domestic call, three or four people may have weapons, adding that it makes it difficult to determine "who is the good guy and who is the bad guy.
Mr. Knoke should answer this question:
How difficult is it to determine “who is the good guy and who is the bad guy” when three or four people are carrying concealed firearms?
I do not recall any situations where the OSTA has publicly complained about concealed carry license holders causing such a “dangerous” problem. Also, there are also many situations where a homeowner may possess a firearm in the open in similar scenarios. Knoke is using a very weak argument in opposition to citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights.
The Oklahoma State Troopers Association should immediately lose the “Us vs. Them” mentality and stay away from influencing legislation.
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Comments
I agree with you 100%. It doesn't make sense that law enforcement would fear law abiding citizens carrying their weapons openly. It would afford us the same visual deterrent they enjoy every day. Maybe they are behaving like elitists that think others carrying openly somehow take away their "mojo" and authority. If they were thinking about the people they are supposed to protect and serve, they would welcome the help defending law abiding citizens.
I grew up in Oklahoma. If you can say with a straight face that you respect them for their great service and sacrifice, I can say without fear of realistic contradiction that you have no clue of which you speak.s
I do not mean to argue with you Steve but the cops of today are not cops who would put on the badge even if it only paid minimum wage. They do it for the power and the benefits their unions get them. For the OSTA it is about power and control and the sudden loss of it back to citizens in that state. I am sure they cannot cite one example of having to disarm an open carry person but now they will be looking for any excuse after they came out against the bill. I proved a cop lied on the stand and a judge let him walk without a charge of prejury years ago. It was obvious to everyone the cop was lying. The gun owners have to mount a public campaign designed to embarrass the OSTA even if it means reminding the public that there are bad cops out there lurking on roads still. A California CHP officer was just arrested two days ago for serious drug use. A 12 year vet with a questionable record. This man testified against people,swore to uphold the law and then broke it. Who do you trust?
And one final thing. We tend to think of cops as living by the boy scout oath and nothing is further from the truth. When your life is on the line who do you trust with a gun. A questionable cop you do not know or yourself to defend you life? If you take the cop then I will be attending your funeral because that cop is not going to risk his life to save yours 99 times out of 100 and Oklahoma state troopers are not different. The ones who would risk their lives are the kind who do not fear citizens and respect citizens as theor bosses. they uphold the law but they make you as a citizen feel like you are worth saving and that is what they are there for. To SERVE you, the citizen.
I will disagree with you, Robert, on your willingness to lump all law enforcement officers together as bad people. One or two bad officers do not make the whole Oklahoma State Police force a bad group of men, as one idiot citizen with a gun who makes terrible decisions does not represent law-abiding gun owners of Oklahoma as a whole.
I did not write this article to trash out Oklahoma law officers. I wrote it to dispute the OSTA's claim which says arming law-abiding citizens would be dangerous. I gave some examples of law enforcement officers who made terrible decisions and tried to show Oklahoma concealed permit holders don't make such poor decisions.
Again, a few bad cops do not make a corrupt police force. However, there is a need for Tulsa PD and the Oklahoma State Police to pay more attention to policing their own ranks and stay out of politics.
Excellent commentary Steve and as a former law enforcement officer myself, I agree with you wholeheartedly. It is unfortunate that in our current society we tend to be driven by hysterical media hype, rather than the calm measured common sense of our forbears, who understood on the whole - The individual right to keep and bear arms is not only essential to the preservation of Liberty, but conditions the mind to the duty, responsiblity, and politeness in manners such rights, when exercised, entail. Keep up the good work Steve.
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