Duncan’s Voice: Why an OKC man’s arrest raises questions about city crisis response

Oklahoma City Police Department body camera video, obtained by News 9 through an open records request, revealed a violent arrest of a man sleeping in a building in downtown OKC last spring. Two metro homelessness advocates questioned the use of force with a canine unit during the arrest. Since April 2024, News 9 looked at OCPD's policy and the issues many unsheltered people face in the community. 

Thursday, January 30th 2025, 10:51 pm

By: Jordan Fremstad


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Oklahoma City Police Department body camera video, obtained by News 9 through an open records request, revealed a violent arrest of a man sleeping in a building in downtown OKC last spring. Two metro homelessness advocates questioned the use of force with a canine unit during the arrest. Since April 2024, News 9 looked at OCPD's policy and the issues many unsheltered people face in the community. 

A look back on March 11, 2024 

Last year, a March evening domestic call generated little attention. Early that night, someone saw two people break into an OKC building on 13th Street and reported the suspects to OCPD. 

13th Street OKC

Several Oklahoma City Police Officers - including a canine - looked for the suspects. The canine unit found one of the men in 34 seconds from the time they entered the building – 61-year-old Duncan Barnett.  

The canine bit Barnett while he was on the ground inside the building. He remembered that night.  

“It came out of nowhere,” Barnett said. “I was about to sleep.” 

Barnett’s story of living on OKC’s streets 

Barnett was one of OKC’s 1,800 people who live on the city’s streets. He spent about three decades without a home. 

“He had a falling out with his family that I think led to a lot of hardship in his life,” said Sydney Woods, the director of programs at Diversion Hub in Oklahoma County. 

Downtown OKC

Diversion Hub’s mission for justice reform  

Oklahoma has one of the nation’s highest rates of incarceration. Diversion Hub is a nonprofit that helps people with limited resources navigate the criminal justice system. Diversion Hub’s case managers work to stop generational cycles and limit contact with the criminal justice system. Woods supported Barnett through this journey. 

“I think he deserved a lot better in this scenario,” Woods said. “We see trespassing charges all the time, and they are typically a municipal level ticket.”  

Diversion Hub

Questions about OCPD use of force 

Woods said she didn’t understand why officers needed a canine to bring Barnett to jail.  

“He had no weapon,” Woods said. 

According to the OCPD operations manual, a handler should not allow a canine to engage, “when the size, age and physical capabilities of the offender are such that use of a canine would be inappropriate.”

 OCPD Canine Policy

“He’s an older man, not in great health, living on the streets. An attack like that could have ended his life,” Woods said. “He had stitches up his arm, down his leg, he was in a wheelchair.” 

Delay in obtaining police body camera records  

News 9 asked for the police body-worn camera video in April. It is not uncommon for body camera videos to be released days after an incident. Officials told News 9 the delay was due to a lack of staff in the records department. Officials didn’t fill the request until August 15. 

Expert opinions on OCPD’s canine unit actions  

An OCPD spokesperson said - “A canine unit is often utilized to help in building searches to locate suspects. In this instance, the victim told officers people were inside his building who did not have permission to be there.  

“A canine officer was utilized to search the large building. The canine officer made several announcements about his presence throughout the search of the building, and at no point during the search did anyone make their presence known to the officer.  

“The canine located an individual under a blanket during the search. This person was bitten by the canine and was provided medical aid. Ultimately, the victim did want to press charges, and the individual was arrested and booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center. The interior of the building did have significant damage as well. 

“Officers often enter unknown dangerous situations, and this was no different. Officers had no prior information about the subject inside, if he was armed, if there was a weapon nearby, or if he was asleep or hiding. Officers followed proper procedures to ensure safety for both themselves and the public.” 

OCPD Bodycam March 11, 2024

An Oklahoma law enforcement source with over ten years of experience handling canines said he didn’t see anything wrong with the response based on training protocol. News 9 is not sharing the identity of this law enforcement official due to fear of professional retaliation. Darrel Stephens, a 50-year police veteran and professor of criminal justice at Florida State, said canine building searches are standard because they help protect officers from potential danger. 

“I don’t see how this situation in any way shape or form improved public safety whatsoever,” Woods said. 

Crimes committed due to desperate actions 

Police arrested Barnett for burglary and trespassing. According to a probable cause affidavit, OCPD said the building suffered $1,000 in damage. That building was demolished last fall. 

“Majority of those who are struggling with homelessness just trying to find a safe place to rest,” Woods said. “It’s not something that is violent.”  

Duncan Barnett

Homeless Alliance chief executive officer Meghan Mueller said Barnett had few choices. 

“[He was] sleeping in a building because they have no other option,” Mueller said. 

Alternative resources for community crisis response 

Mueller said the city needs better training for crisis calls. 

“I think it’s regrettable the way that situation turned out,” Mueller said. “We have an opportunity to do better, and we need to do better.”  

Mueller said safe communities start with housing options for people like Barnett. 

“In a lot of ways, it seems preventable, right, because if he had a place to call home, none of this would have happened,” Mueller said. 

Bodycam from March 11, 2024

The Homeless Alliance and the city have joint response teams trained to handle people experiencing homelessness. The city has its Homeless Outreach Team and the Action Center. 

A U.S. Department of Justice report released this month criticized Oklahoma City for sending police to behavioral health crises. Officials said it's harmful and ineffective. However, the DOJ acknowledged police and city efforts to improve that response. That includes new policies to send mobile crisis teams and plans to develop non-police teams with behavioral health experts.

"We applaud these efforts, but they remain in their infancy," the DOJ report said. "Further, as proposed, the city’s planned behavioral health response would have too few teams and cover too few hours to meet the need, still leaving police to handle most calls alone. We also have concerns about whether these efforts are being sufficiently coordinated with the State and the broader crisis system."

Barnett acknowledged his offense and said he knew there were consequences for trespassing. However, he didn’t believe his crime justified the injuries to his body and his mind.  

“Something's got to change man,” Barnett said. “Just do the right thing.”  

Woods heard Barnett's voice - a voice she hoped would bring attention to a life worth saving. 

“I hope that this can be a reminder to see the world with a lens of humanity always,” Woods said. “I think he’s a beautiful soul. He has a big heart.” 

Diversion Hub outreach

During the news-gathering process of this story, Diversion Hub helped Barnett find stable housing and they said he was doing much better in life. Other community resources like the city’s Key to Home initiative work to get more people off the streets and into permanent housing. The Homeless Alliance also launched a new pilot program to prevent chronic homelessness. 

Jordan Fremstad

Jordan Fremstad proudly joined the News 9 team in December 2022 as a multimedia journalist. Jordan is a three-time Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist who began his broadcast journalism career in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Jordan grew up in De Soto, Wisconsin. Jordan comes to Oklahoma City after four years with La Crosse’s CBS affiliate WKBT News 8 Now.

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