A deputy from Garvin County, Oklahoma has been fired for disguising an inmate as a fellow officer to aid him in his duties. The breach of conduct, reminiscent of a Bugs Bunny cartoon more than anything else, occurred on April 11, 2016. The deputy was fired April 14.
AP reports that the unnamed former deputy enlisted the inmate’s help in transporting U.S. Immigration and Customs detainees. The inmate, also unnamed, was reportedly ordered to dress in the black windbreaker and ball cap worn by Garvin County deputies. Over the course of the day the inmate was occasionally left unsupervised as they helped to process detainees.
Afterwards, however, the inmate told a jail administrator what had happened, leading to the deputy’s dismissal. Garvin County Sheriff Larry Rhodes condemned the deputy’s actions as “inexcusable,” and has professed his embarrassment regarding the event.
“I’m embarrassed about it, I’m mad about it, and if I could have stopped it, I would have been there,” Rhodes told AP. “I can tell you it wouldn’t have happened.”
Transportation of detainees requires the presence of two deputies. Rhodes surmises that the former officer was too impatient to await the arrival of a second deputy before departing.
As of now, neither state nor federal charges have been filed against the offending officer.
Image via Garvin County Sheriff’s Office.
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