Patrick Venable is a former Oklahoma Highway Patrolman who resigned after the misconduct allegations arose.
The story is horrific. Venable was on duty and took a female driver into custody for DUI on the Broadway Extension. He then took her to a residence out in Guthrie to have relations with her.
The temptation for District Attorneys to overlook the misdeeds of those wearing a badge looms terribly large. Particularly since Oklahoma elects its District Attorneys and one of the coveted endorsements is that from the Fraternal Order of Police. District Attorney Tom Lee of Logan County did the right thing in charging the former officer.
Citizens place their trust in law enforcement and when law enforcement goes astray, prosecutors should hold them accountable, even holding them to a higher standard of conduct. After all, we trust them to keep us safe - not abuse us.
Mickey
