‘As Big of a Jerk As I Heard You Are’: MAGA Sheriff Gets an Earful After Lecturing State Trooper Who Pulled Him Over for Speeding
It’s obvious that Canadian County, Oklahoma, Sheriff Chris West felt inconvenienced as he waited on a state trooper to write him a warning for speeding on May 2 just outside Oklahoma City limits.
Just a few days earlier, the controversial lawman had been in the Oval Office, flanking President Donald Trump as he signed a new executive order promising free private legal protection for police officers accused of wrongdoing on the job. People like him don’t get tickets, he attempts to explain to the unnamed trooper, who had pulled him over for driving 58 mph in a 45 mph zone.
“My intent was just to write you a warning,” the trooper told the sheriff, whom he had already recognized. “Can I go back and write you a warning?”
The sheriff asked him if that was necessary. “I’d rather there not be anything documented,” the sheriff responded.
“Nothing documented? Is it an election year?” the trooper deadpanned.
At that point the sheriff showed his true colors, dissmissing the trooper and telling him, condescendingly, “Go get your piece of paper.”
A few minutes later, the trooper returned to Sheriff West’s driver’s side window, document in hand.
“My intent was just to write you a warning from the start,” he said.
The sheriff responded with a mini-lecture.
“Well, here’s my deal,” he said. “You know, I’m a retired trooper. I never did this. When I stopped cops, as soon as I found out… (inaudible)”
“You could just not speed,” the trooper said, not missing a beat.
West went on to claim he was in a county vehicle and was working at the time.
“No different than you going somewhere else,” he said. “Listen, I’m not going to call your chief and complain.”
Oklahoma City Police later confirmed that West was apparently not being truthful. He had no emergency equipment activated, which raises doubts about whether he was actually on duty as he maintained.
Tensions grew when West implied the trooper lacked “professional courtesy.”
“Well, just as ‘professional’ and ‘courtesy,’ you’re as big of a jerk as I heard you are,” the trooper countered. “Have a better day.”
Not surprisingly, West declined to comment when asked about the incident by Fox 25 in Oklahoma City. He said the video spoke for itself, which it most certainly did.
West was first elected Canadian County sheriff in 2016. He courted controversy when he attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally at the U.S. Capitol but said it was right as a private citizen to attend the rally, which quickly devolved into a violent insurrection. West said he did not take part in the riot.
He later proposed a ‘Sheriff’s Posse’ — a would-be “rapid-response” team of civilian volunteers tasked with defending property. The idea never graduated past the proposal stage.
While most readers of the article sided with the clever trooper, others found it difficult to choose sides.
“Tyrant vs. tyrant, I love it,” wrote one reader.
And some found the trooper to be a bit of a stickler.
“58 in a 45!? Along the Eastern seaboard, south of Virginia, you will not get stopped unless you are doing more than 15 over…. That’s 60 in a 45,” opined one commenter.