Muskogee Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Consisting of 91 sworn officers and 28 other employees, the department serves a population of over 40,000 people. The department was under the supervision and operational command of Chief of Police Rex Eskridge, a member of the department since 1969 and police chief since 1992. Chief of Police Rex Eskridge retired in July 2018 after 49 years of service. Deputy Chief Johnny Teehee was sworn in as Chief of Police on July 17, 2018.
History
The Muskogee Police Department was established in 1898. Prior to its establishment, law enforcement in Muskogee was provided by the United States Marshals Service and a city marshal. One early officer was Federal Deputy MarshalBass Reeves, the first African American to serve in such an office.
Organization
Mission
The mission of the Muskogee Police Department is enhancement of the quality of life of residents and visitors through effective crime reduction, preservation of peace, and responsiveness to social changes in the community, accomplished through a police-community partnership focusing on proactive policing and crime prevention.
Structure
The department is headed by a police chief, with an assistant chief as the chief's primary deputy. Under the chief and assistant chief are three divisions, each headed by a major:
Police Support Services Division – responsible for headquarters staff, central administrative functions, communications and dispatch
Law Enforcement Patrol Division – responsible for general law enforcement
Specialized Units
The Muskogee Police Department Special Operations Team is a resource for the department in handling critical incidents. The Special Operations Team responds to:
Hostage situations: The holding of any person against their will by an armed or potentially armed suspect.
Barricade situations: The standoff created by an armed or potentially armed suspect in any location, whether fortified or not, who is refusing to comply with police demands for surrender. This includes armed suicidal suspects.
Snipers: The firing upon citizens and/or police by an armed suspect, whether stationary or mobile.
Apprehension: The arrest or apprehension of armed or potentially armed suspect where there is the likelihood of armed resistance.
Warrant service: The service of search or arrest warrants where there is a likelihood of armed or potentially armed suspect and there is the potential of armed resistance.
Personal protection: The security of special persons, such as VIPs, witnesses, or suspects, based on threat or potential threats.
Special assignments: Any assignment, approved by the chief of police or unit's Commander, based upon the level of threat or the need for a special expertise.
The Special Operations Team has a membership with the National Tactical Officers Association. The Muskogee Police Department practices Community-Oriented Policing. The department has a unit called the Community Resource Division that specializes in community policing through the building and fostering of relationships with community leaders, youth, religious leaders, and others.
after pursuing an alleged traffic stop from a man running a stop sign and continuing to his mother's home after refusing to stop led to police forcing their way into the home where the situation ended with administering pepper spray on the 84-year-old mother as well as the tasering of the 54-year-old man police were pursuing. The matter is under investigation after pressure arose online following the release of body camera video. Many believe the police utilized unnecessary force, especially in spraying the woman, who many believed did not seem threatening or uncooperative. The incident happened Aug 7, 2016. In 2009, two local officers arrested Larry Eugene Chaplin. They handcuffed him and then allowed a police dog to attack him while he was on the ground. In March 2012, the city settled with Chaplin for an undisclosed amount.
