Lax security policies at the Tulsa Police Department led to the disappearance of 44 guns and an unknown amount of ammunition, a recent audit concluded.
The inquiry stemmed from the theft of 19 firearms and ammunition in 2007, Police Chief Ron Palmer told city councilors Tuesday. Former range instructor Buddy Visser was sent to federal prison for stealing the weapons and selling them online during an 11-month period.
"No one ever counted on the police stealing from the police," Palmer said. "But at the same time, we could have done a lot better job along the way."
The 19 stolen guns were eventually recovered. Twenty-five others, including two AR-15 assault rifles and several snub-nosed revolvers, are unaccounted for, Palmer said.
Although it's continuing to search for those weapons, the department has invested in a computer system to track ammunition by bar codes. Security is also tighter at the range, Palmer said.
The audit, which cataloged roughly 5,300 firearms that passed through the department in the last 30 years, was the first large-scale examination of the department's arsenal, Palmer said.
"A whole host of things happened during that period of time and, as we admit in our response to the range audit, we didn't do a very good job in some of that inventory control," he said.
Among the missing weapons are nine Remington 12-gauge shotguns and two Smith & Wesson .357-caliber Magnum revolvers.
All told, the guns are worth $11,864, records show.
Palmer said the audit uncovered several ways to improve security.
The new computer program will help track the department's inventory, but technical problems have delayed the project. Officials are working with the city's information technology staff to bring the system online, Palmer said.
Visser, a 17-year department veteran, sold the stolen guns and ammunition on his Web site, authorities said. None of the buyers knew that the weapons were stolen, police said.
Visser resigned from the police force before he pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2008. He is in a low-security prison in Texas, records show.
Documents: View a list of the 25 firearms that are still missing from the Tulsa Police Department
Showing posts with label Buddy Visser. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buddy Visser. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Friday, June 06, 2008
Former Tulsa Officer is Sentenced to Federal Prison
Tulsa, Oklahoma
A former Tulsa Police officer is going to federal prison. Buddy Visser was sentenced on Friday in federal court in Tulsa to 18-months in prison for each of two counts of selling stolen police department guns on the Internet.
The 47-year-old Visser was a firearms instructor for the Tulsa Police Department.
"This case and other recent federal public corruption prosecutions in the Northern District reflect the continuing commitment of my office, the federal investigative agencies and the Tulsa Police Department to root out, expose and bring to justice corrupt public servants, including those working within law enforcement. Our citizens and communities expect and deserve to be served by only the most honest public officials and we will continue to hold them to the highest standards of conduct," said U.S. Attorney David O'Melia.
In addition to prison time, Visser has been ordered to pay $15, 988 in restitution. Also, once he completes his prison sentence, he will serve three years on supervised release.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Buddy Visser entered plea
A former Tulsa police officer pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing guns and ammunition from the department and selling them on the Internet.
Buddy Visser, 47, entered the plea to the charges of possession and sale of stolen firearms and mail fraud, which were filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office March 5.
He said his criminal conduct involved between eight and 24 firearms.
U.S. District Judge Terence Kern will sentence Visser -- who is free on bond -- on June 10. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Raley estimated that federal guidelines will suggest a prison sentence from two years to three years, five months.
Raley told the court that Visser "deprived the taxpayers and the city of Tulsa of the honest services he had taken an oath to maintain" when he committed the crimes during the first 11 months of 2007.
Visser resigned from the force March 6 after a 17-year career.
Chief Ron Palmer said that same day that "the resignation was accepted with no regret."
During Thursday's plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Paul Cleary, Visser did not try to justify his crimes, but he told the court that he has been treated for manic- depression and post-traumatic stress disorder and is taking medication.
Visser admitted in his plea agreement that from January 2007 through late November he stole weapons and ammunition from the Tulsa Police Department's firing range, where he was an instructor.
Visser said he asked for prices so low that purchasers typically would buy quickly.
Visser had been suspended in December after the Tulsa Police Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began investigating theft allegations.
His plea agreement indicates that Visser will be expected to pay restitution to the city for any unrecovered firearms and to the purchasers of guns that are located.
Raley said he does not an ticipate that anyone else will be charged with stealing guns from the Police Department and selling them. However, he would not comment about whether any further inquiries related to the Visser investigation are under way.
Palmer has said the department is now considering adding cameras and new auditing measures to ensure the security of weapons at the range.
**************
Another bad cop off the streets!!!
Buddy Visser, 47, entered the plea to the charges of possession and sale of stolen firearms and mail fraud, which were filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office March 5.
He said his criminal conduct involved between eight and 24 firearms.
U.S. District Judge Terence Kern will sentence Visser -- who is free on bond -- on June 10. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Raley estimated that federal guidelines will suggest a prison sentence from two years to three years, five months.
Raley told the court that Visser "deprived the taxpayers and the city of Tulsa of the honest services he had taken an oath to maintain" when he committed the crimes during the first 11 months of 2007.
Visser resigned from the force March 6 after a 17-year career.
Chief Ron Palmer said that same day that "the resignation was accepted with no regret."
During Thursday's plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Paul Cleary, Visser did not try to justify his crimes, but he told the court that he has been treated for manic- depression and post-traumatic stress disorder and is taking medication.
Visser admitted in his plea agreement that from January 2007 through late November he stole weapons and ammunition from the Tulsa Police Department's firing range, where he was an instructor.
Visser said he asked for prices so low that purchasers typically would buy quickly.
Visser had been suspended in December after the Tulsa Police Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began investigating theft allegations.
His plea agreement indicates that Visser will be expected to pay restitution to the city for any unrecovered firearms and to the purchasers of guns that are located.
Raley said he does not an ticipate that anyone else will be charged with stealing guns from the Police Department and selling them. However, he would not comment about whether any further inquiries related to the Visser investigation are under way.
Palmer has said the department is now considering adding cameras and new auditing measures to ensure the security of weapons at the range.
**************
Another bad cop off the streets!!!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
TPD Officer Buddy Visser Sold Stolen Weapons
Once again there is a local officer who is more of a thug than the people he has arrested. Police officer Buddy Visser of the Tulsa Police Department for 17 years is under investigation by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
He faces federal firearms charges after being accused of selling stolen weapons and ammunition from the TPD training range. Currently Chief Palmer has suspended Officer Visser indefinitely, without pay.
This jackass and his wife were accused of excessive force during an OFF-Duty traffic stop, back in 2000. But as always they believe the officer just because he’s an officer, and all charges were dropped against them. This officer lied to his own police department, so he more than likely lied back then. No officer or person should be allowed to point their weapon at another citizen because a child threw something out of a car at them. Sounds like this officer should have been tested to see if he was using steroids.
Chief Palmer said that they also violated policies regarding the use of force and were ordered to pay $150,000 in punitive damages. But a year later the Vissers were reinstated to their assignments after an arbitrator reversed their terminations.
There is all kinds of bad cops out there, they just haven't been caught yet, or they keep getting away with wrong doing just because they have a badge. Someone needs to police the police if they are not going to police themselves. I hope this latest charge puts him away for double the time someone else could have gotten for the same crime. Then maybe some of these bad officers would think twice before committing a crime...do double the time.
He faces federal firearms charges after being accused of selling stolen weapons and ammunition from the TPD training range. Currently Chief Palmer has suspended Officer Visser indefinitely, without pay.
This jackass and his wife were accused of excessive force during an OFF-Duty traffic stop, back in 2000. But as always they believe the officer just because he’s an officer, and all charges were dropped against them. This officer lied to his own police department, so he more than likely lied back then. No officer or person should be allowed to point their weapon at another citizen because a child threw something out of a car at them. Sounds like this officer should have been tested to see if he was using steroids.
Chief Palmer said that they also violated policies regarding the use of force and were ordered to pay $150,000 in punitive damages. But a year later the Vissers were reinstated to their assignments after an arbitrator reversed their terminations.
There is all kinds of bad cops out there, they just haven't been caught yet, or they keep getting away with wrong doing just because they have a badge. Someone needs to police the police if they are not going to police themselves. I hope this latest charge puts him away for double the time someone else could have gotten for the same crime. Then maybe some of these bad officers would think twice before committing a crime...do double the time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)