Oklahoma Police Captain Asked Officer to Turn Off Body Cam After DUI Bust
Oklahoma Body Cam Footage Police Captain Busted For DUI ... Whispers To Cop, 'Turn The Camera Off'
An Oklahoma City police captain put on a show after he was busted for allegedly driving drunk ... and it was all caught on body cam video -- which he desperately tried to suppress.
Check out the footage, released Thursday by Oklahoma City PD, showing Capt. James French getting pulled over at his home by a police officer last weekend after cops said he was swerving as he drove down the road.
Right from the get-go, French tried to weasel his way out of trouble by identifying himself as a police captain and whispering to the officer to turn off his body cam. But, the cop refused and asked French if he had been drinking because he was slurring his words.
French changed the subject and made a second attempt to get the camera switched off.
But, the officer was in a no-nonsense mood. He sternly said, "I'm not turning my camera off. You got to be kidding me."
Things only got worse for French, who explained that he had consumed 3 to 4 beers at a poker game earlier that night and had drunk his last brewski about 2 hours before he was stopped by the officer.
Then came the dreaded field sobriety tests, which, of course, French failed. During a balance test, French lifted up his leg only to stumble forward. He then asked the cop to switch off the camera a third time.
But, the officer stood his ground again, saying that he had taken an oath to uphold the law and would not show favoritism to anyone -- even the President of the United States.
That didn't stop French from urging the cop to kill the camera one last time. And, predictably, he got another "no" from the officer.
French was eventually placed in handcuffs and booked into the county jail for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was later released after posting bond.
Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley praised the officer for his professionalism and for following the department's body cam protocols.
Gourley also said that French was put on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
