"You're as big of a jerk as I heard you are": OKCPD officer to Sheriff during traffic stop
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Oklahoma City, OK - New body camera video from Oklahoma City Police shows an interaction between an OKCPD officer and Canadian County Sheriff Chris West.
An OKCPD officer pulled over Sheriff West on Friday, May 2nd. He was accused of going 58 miles per hour in a 45 miles per hour zone on Mustang Road near SW 15th.
The officer approached West's window and immediately recognized him.
"You're the sheriff, aren't you?" The officer said at the window of Sheriff West's vehicle.
The officer said he would give West a warning.
"My intent was just to write you a warning," the officer tells Sheriff West. "Can I go back and write you a warning?"
"Do you need to? I'd rather there not be anything documented," Sheriff West responds.
"Nothing documented? Is it an election year?" The officer responds.
"Go get your piece of paper," Sheriff West tells the officer.
The officer then goes back to his motorcycle to write Sheriff West a warning. After that, he returns to Sheriff West's driver's side window with the warning.
"My intent was just to write you a warning from the start," the officer said to Sheriff West when he returned.
"Well, here's my deal," Sheriff West responds. "You know, I'm a retired trooper. I never did this. When I stopped cops, as soon as I found out... (inaudible)"
"You could just not speed," the officer responded.
"This is a county vehicle, and I'm working right now," Sheriff West said. "No different than you going somewhere else. Listen, I'm not going to call your chief and complain."
OKCPD said Sheriff West did not have any emergency equipment activated at the time of the traffic stop.
In the video, Sheriff West also mentioned "professional courtesy" to the officer.
"Well, just as 'professional' and 'courtesy', you're as big of a jerk as I heard you are," the officer responded. "Have a better day."
When asked for a comment by FOX 25, Sheriff West said he got pulled over and received a warning. Sheriff West said the video spoke for itself.
Chris West was elected Sheriff of Canadian County in 2016.
He has spent decades in law enforcement, serving 29 years with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. He retired from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 2012.
Sheriff West was also the President of the Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association from 2021 to 2022.
Before his career in law enforcement, he served in the U.S. Marines.