OSBI Concludes Investigation Into Watonga Police Confrontation

The investigation into a confrontation between a father and two Watonga police officers is complete. The Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation did not reveal its findings, and the Blaine County District Attorney's Office has declined to file charges.

“If you don't give me your ID, I'm going to take you to jail for failure to identify,” said an officer on video obtained by a viewer and verified by the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office.

The video of that July 4 confrontation in an alley in Watonga, shows two police officers taking a father into custody in front of his young son, who was visibly upset and crying.

“You gonna do this in front of my son,” the man asked the officer.

The officer replied, “Yeah.”

“Everybody handles things just a little bit differently,” said Blaine County Sheriff Travis Daugherty.

Sheriff Daugherty says what he saw on the body camera footage is not how he believes this should have gone down.

“I have talked to my deputies about this and at all costs if somebody has to be placed in handcuffs, I don't want it done in front of their children,” he said.

A Watonga police report details the incident, with one officer saying, "he did not recognize him as a regular walker" and "thought it was suspicious he would walk the alleys." The officer also said "he was not walking with a purpose" according to the report.

The Sheriff spoke out after the incident calling for the officers to be put on leave until the investigation is complete. A spokesperson for the OSBI says the agency was asked by the Watonga Police Department to investigate the officers’ use of force. On Thursday, the agency confirmed it completed its probe and turned the case back over to local authorities.

“I feel like it was the right thing to do and good faith to the community,” said Sheriff Daugherty.

News 9 reached out to the city to see if the officers were placed on leave but have not heard back.

Blaine County District Attorney's Office has declined to file charges in this case, according to the Blaine County Sheriff's Office.