Oklahoma Troopers Investigated for Leaving Governor's Mansion Unprotected

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

OKALAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is charged with keeping the Governor's Mansion safe, but an investigation has found they failed to do that several times this year.

Troopers assigned to guard the mansion signed time sheets indicating they worked their full shift, but that wasn't the case.

The investigation involved three troopers who were part of the ES, the Executive Security Division.

Read the trooper investigation report.

An internal report conducted by the Department of Public Safety shows they abandoned their posts at the Governor's Mansion and knowingly falsified time sheets, compromising the governor's safety.

The incidents happened in February and March of this year. It only came to light after a supervisor reviewed one of the time sheets he called ‘suspicious.'

A lieutenant noticed the discrepancy while reviewing a time sheet submitted by Trooper Trevor Flanagan. That lieutenant passed Flanagan's time sheet to a supervisor who then compared it to surveillance video of the mansion.

See the falsified time card sheets.

The cameras showed Flanagan departing the mansion grounds shortly after arriving for his shift.

During interviews with DPS, troopers Flanagan, Jerome Baxter and Paul Kenney all admitted to the deception and cover up.

Flanagan said Troopers Baxter and Kenney would take turns leaving early and Flanagan would pad the logs and reports to reflect that the other member was present. He went on to say this has been occurring for several months.

All three troopers were reprimanded for their actions. Two of them received unpaid suspensions but are still assigned to the mansion. One was reassigned to the state capitol.

After a quick review of the area surrounding the mansion on News9.com's Crime Tracker, the troopers presence in the mansion is a necessity. Everything from aggravated assault, robbery and rape, even homicides happened in the vicinity of the Governor's Mansion during the months in question.