Oklahoma Highway Patrol Has Yet to Release Dashboard Video

It’s been three weeks since two state troopers were involved in a controversial arrest at Holdenville, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol has yet to release video taken from their vehicles’ dashboard cameras.

The two troopers were put on paid administrative leave while the OHP’s internal-affairs team investigates complaints made against them.

The Tulsa World made a request on Oct. 5 to obtain copies of the videos.

One of those troopers, Daniel Martin, has already been in the national spotlight for a scuffle he had with a Creek Nation paramedic in Okfuskee County, which led to the officer’s suspension for five days in July.

On Friday, Lt. George Brown and Capt. Chris West, both spokesmen for the OHP, said they didn’t know when the videos would be released, noting that investigators are still reviewing the footage.

West said the videotapes would be released to the public eventually.

The OHP took less time to release the dashboard video in the previous incident involving Martin in Okfuskee County.

That scuffle, which captured the nation’s attention, happened at Paden on May 24. On June 12, the OHP released the video.

The Holdenville incident occurred on Oct. 3. Trooper Tommy Allen, along with Martin as backup, arrested Kristopher Douglas, 28, of Holdenville, for not heeding their commands to stay away from a traffic stop.

That stop was located in front of Douglas’ uncle’s home. Douglas, who lived nearby, told the officers he was going to his uncle’s home to help him install drywall.

However, Martin, in his report, said he told Douglas three times to stand by the street until the officers were finished with the traffic stop.

Eventually, Allen went to arrest Douglas, grabbing him around the neck to bring him to the ground, while Martin struck Douglas in back with a baton.

Douglas was arrested and charged with obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor.

Douglas’ uncle, Jerry Ford, witnessed the arrest and said the troopers overreacted and used excessive force.

In the May 24 incident in Paden, Martin has stated he thought the ambulance crew had given him an obscene finger gesture.

The subsequent scuffle with paramedic Maurice White had been captured on a cell-phone video, which became a popular played on the YouTube Web site.

Martin had tried to arrest White for obstructing an officer.

White has stated he repeatedly told Martin that his crew was taking a woman to the hospital and asked to continue the traffic stop there.