Troopers Patrol Lakes To Ensure Safety During July 4 Holiday

Last year, Lake Thunderbird had more alcohol-related arrests than any other lake in Oklahoma. 

Today, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Jansen Idlett and Lt. Mark Brown did what they could to keep the peace and keep people safe. 

“I would say it keeps it to a minimum,” Brown said Saturday afternoon. “And that’s the best we can hope for is minimal interaction with the people who are trying to have a good time, because we’re not here to put a bad spin on their days off.” 

Keith Sharp, of Norman, though was one of the unlucky one’s Saturday … kind of. 

Idlett and Brown stopped Sharp who was tooling around on a friend’s WaveRunner. 

The watercraft did not have visible registration, didn’t have a fire extinguisher, or a noisemaking device on board, and Sharp wasn’t carrying any identification either.  But he got off with just a friendly warning from Idlett and Brown. 

“It just plays into overall safety,” Idlett said with a chuckle.  “You know everybody out here is just trying to have a good time with their family.”