Tulsa Sheriff Reportedly Falsified Reserve Deputy’s Training Records
According to the Tulsa World, police supervisors were instructed to falsify training records for the Tulsa reserve deputy who killed a man earlier this month when he accidentally fired his gun instead of a Taser. After releasing the names of the other two deputies involved in the deadly shooting, the Sheriff’s Office refused to provide more documents to support that the appropriate training was followed and completed in accordance with state requirements.
Robert Bates turns himself in to authorities at the Tulsa Jail in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Robert C. Bates—a 73-year-old reserve deputy who allegedly got the job thanks to his financial contributions—was ultimately charged with manslaughter for mistakenly shooting Eric Harris. But according to the Tulsa World, authorities first tried—apparently in vain—to cover up his lack of training.
Supervisors at the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office were ordered to falsify a reserve deputy’s training records, giving him credit for field training he never took and firearms certifications he should not have received, sources told the Tulsa World.
At least three of reserve deputy Robert Bates’ supervisors were transferred after refusing to sign off on his state-required training, multiple sources speaking on condition of anonymity told the World.
Additionally, Sheriff Stanley Glanz told a Tulsa radio station this week that Bates had been certified to use three weapons, including a revolver he fired at Harris. However, Glanz said the Sheriff’s Office has not been able to find the paperwork on those certifications.
A Tulsa County spokesperson tells the paper, “The training record speaks for itself. I have absolutely no knowledge of what you are talking about… There aren’t any secrets in law enforcement. Zero. Those types of issues would have come up.”
The sources’ claims are corroborated by records, including a statement by Bates after the shooting, that he was certified as an advanced reserve deputy in 2007.
An attorney for Harris’ family also raised questions about the authenticity of Bates’ training records.
Additionally, Sheriff Stanley Glanz told a Tulsa radio station this week that Bates had been certified to use three weapons, including a revolver he fired at Harris. However, Glanz said the Sheriff’s Office has not been able to find the paperwork on those certifications.
The sheriff’s deputy that certified Bates has moved on to work for the Secret Service, Glanz said during the radio interview.
“We can’t find the records that she supposedly turned in,” Glanz said. “So we are going to talk to her to find out if for sure he’s been qualified with those (weapons).”
Undersheriff Tim Albin was unavailable for comment Wednesday but in an earlier interview, Albin said he was unaware of any concerns expressed by supervisors about Bates’ training.
Staffers from Tulsa World are discussing below these recent development:
