Tulsa OK Aug 22 2019

A Tulsa police officer has been suspended pending criminal and internal investigations after he was jailed on gun charges Saturday.

Jeffrey Shane Statum, 34, was charged Friday with one count of carrying a weapon where alcohol is served.

The charge stems from a call about 11:45 p.m. Aug. 3 at Club Majestic, 124 N. Boston Ave., referencing a drunken man with a gun and badge who told employees he was an undercover officer named Jason Brown.

The 911 call also indicated that there were reports of the man grabbing women, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Friday.

According to a statement from Club Majestic, three individuals left the club after “Statum had three people complain about him not understanding consent,” which prompted management to review video from the evening while keeping an eye on him.

While the video review was taking place, management was informed that Statum reportedly told a security guard his name was Jason Brown and “that he was investigating a heroin ring operating within the club,” and police were called.

When on-duty officers arrived, a security guard pointed out the man in question, whom one officer recognized as Jeffrey Statum, inside a cigar bar next door. Statum was off-duty at the time.

Approached by the officers, Statum asked them why their body cameras were recording, and when told of the allegations against him, he reportedly responded with expletives, saying, “No I wasn’t,” the affidavit states.

Officers asked Statum if he had a gun on him, and he said no, but during a search, officers found a loaded department-issued handgun in his front pocket.

“The Defendant’s only (response) was ‘Dude,’ ” the affidavit states.

The club’s contracted armed security guard told police Statum had approached him, making a “shhh” motion with his finger to his mouth while lifting his shirt to display what looked like a TPD badge clipped to his waistband, the affidavit states.

The guard asked Statum if he was carrying a firearm, to which he reportedly replied “nah.” The guard clarified once more, thinking Statum had said “yea,” and then Statum clearly said “no,” the affidavit states. The club has a no-gun policy.

Statum was allowed through, and about 20 minutes later, he came back and reportedly told the guard, “I just want you to know that I am undercover and when I come back here in a little bit I want us to be on the same team.” Confused by what Statum meant, the guard asked if he would have a firearm on him, to which Statum reportedly replied, “Maybe.”

When Statum returned, the guard said he noticed a gun in his pocket or waistband. Concerned that Statum was impersonating an officer and might “shoot up the place,” the affidavit states, the club’s management became involved, and police were called.

Statum denied groping women in the club and said he wasn’t flashing his badge or claiming to be a part of the department’s Special Investigations Division, the affidavit states.

In regard to the gun, he reportedly said: “Here’s the deal. If I come down here, yeah I’m gonna have a piece on me … because I worry about people that I might have arrested,” according to the affidavit.

He also denied being drunk, but officers who responded reported that “it was clear (Statum) was intoxicated,” citing a smell of alcohol, reddish eyes and slurred speech.

The affidavit says Statum was handcuffed and taken to a patrol car but wasn’t arrested that night.

About four days after the incident, Statum, with his attorney present, told TPD investigators he always carries a gun for personal safety and did so even before he became a police officer. TPD hired him in May 2017.

He said he had the gun in his pocket the entire night as he went from bar to bar in the area but said he wasn’t aware it was there until the officer found it during the search.

“(Statum) stated he just found out the other night it was illegal to carry a gun inside a bar and that if he goes out to drink he still has a gun on him,” the affidavit states. “That this is not the first time for him to have a gun in a bar.”

Statum told investigators he had three to four 8-point or higher beers and two whiskeys at other bars before going to the club and one to three whiskeys later on, according to the affidavit. He “acknowledged having a substance abuse problem with alcohol” and said the night in question was hard to remember and “spotty,” the affidavit states.

An arrest warrant was issued for Statum on Friday, and he was booked into the Tulsa County jail late Saturday. Seventeen minutes later, he posted $10,000 bond and was released. He’s scheduled to appear in court Aug. 23, according to online records.

Department officials released a statement to the Tulsa World on Monday morning, saying they are aware of the incident and that Statum was placed on leave without pay.

“Due to the internal investigation, we will not comment further on the incident,” the statement says.

Tulsa World

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