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Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009 • 13

he morning of Dec. 9, 2008, was cold and windy as Bruce Carlson, a Crescent-area farmer and rancher and Logan County Farm Bureau board member, stopped to check cattle as he made his way home with a load of hay.

“It was a very cold morning,” Carlson said. “The wind was still blowing. We’d just had a cold front come from the north.”

As Carlson scanned the pasture, his eyes came across a sight that would make any cattleman’s heart sink – a lifeless cow.

“I saw a cow lying down,” Carlson said. “She was far enough off the road and she was lying down. I knew she was dead. I didn’t quite know what happened.”

What Carlson saw once he made his way over to inspect the deceased animal made him realize this had not been the result of old age or accidental nitrate poisoning.

“I went around to look at her, and her head was gone,” Carlson said.

“I knew when I saw the cow exactly which one they’d shot.

“We only had one cow that was that big. Her horns were real wide and came up real tall,” Carlson said, making a sweeping gesture with his hands into the air, indicating the size of the horns. “Pretty distinctive animal.”

Carlson had raised the cow from a calf. Her large horns set her apart

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from the other animals in Carlson’s 140-head cow-calf operation.

After initially contacting the Logan County sheriff’s office, Carlson’s wife, Cindy, called the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry’s Investigative Services Unit the morning following Carlson’s discovery.

“My wife called the Oklahoma ag department, and they called me that afternoon,” Carlson said. “They told me to leave the cow there and they’d be out the next morning. They came out and started investigating.”

Jerry Flowers, investigative supervisor with the department’s Investigative Services Unit, said while he is used to dealing with cattle thefts and killings, the missing head made Carlson’s case a bit strange.

“Cattle being killed out here, we have reports of that, but as far as one being killed and then the head cut off and taken? Yeah, that’s unusual,” Flowers said.

Over the next several days, another dead cow and two cows with shooting-related injuries were discovered on Carlson’s ranch. As a rancher, Carlson is disappointed with the cruelty and disregard shown to his livestock.

“It’s disgusting,” Carlson said. “All of these cows that were shot had calves. They were pregnant. You lose the cow and you lose the calf.

Oklahoma Ag Department’s ISU

By Dustin Mielke

14 • Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009

You’re looking at $3,000 for the two head that were killed and the other two, luckily, didn’t die.”

While any livestock operator hopes to never experience what happened on Carlson’s farm and ranch, he has nothing but praise for the Investigative Services Unit.

“They are fantastic,” Carlson said. “That is probably the most thorough law enforcement that I have ever dealt with. These boys are great.”

“When I came here, we were probably one of the best-kept secrets in state government,” said Col. Mike Grimes, director of the Investigative Services Unit. rimes was appointed to his post in 2007 by state Agriculture Secretary Terry Peach after 40 years of service in law enforcement. Since then, Grimes has worked to bring the unit into the minds of the agriculture industry and law enforcement.

Grimes oversees 10 other investigators who specialize in agricultural crimes.

“We’re state police officers,” Grimes said. “We have full law enforcement authority. We’re particularly charged by state statute with investigating agricultural-related crimes.”

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Bruce Carlson, Crescent-area farmer and rancher, looks over his cattle on his central Oklahoma operation. Carlson is still hopeful the people responsible for killing two cows and wounding two more will be brought to justice.

Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009 • 15

Grimes said that all 11 officers in the unit are armed and have full arrest powers. His investigators usually have between seven and 10 cases open at a time.

“Some of those are cases that he keeps open because he comes to a dead end,” Grimes said. “We’ve had a couple of cases since I’ve been here that the investigation lasted over a year because of the type of crime.”

Grimes is quick to point out his officers are providing services to the law enforcement community in Oklahoma.

“We’re not trying to take the place of the sheriff’s office – that’s your local law enforcement,” Grimes said. “But we are there to assist them and work with them on these cases.”

Grimes said his unit investigates crimes ranging from livestock theft to equipment theft and from wild land arson to timber theft.

“The majority of our cases year-round would be livestock theft cases, and in particular, cattle theft cases,” Grimes said.

Once Grimes’ unit receives a phone call and it is time for the investigators to go to work, Grimes said solving agricultural cases boils down to old-fashioned detective work.

“It’s a lot of footwork, a lot of time spent out ‘pounding the pavement,’ as we refer to it, talking to people, finding out who the possible suspects are and talking to the neighbors.”

Grimes said immediately reporting a crime has a large impact on the success of an investigation. Investigators work hard to narrow down the window of time during which a crime was committed.

“A lot of times when we get a cattle theft case, it may have been three or four weeks, it may have been a couple months before the person realized the cattle were gone,” Grimes said. “The quicker we get

Valuable Tips On How To Avoid Being An Agricultural Crime Victim

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ol. Mike Grimes of the Investigative Services Unit said there are some important habits to have to avoid being a victim of agricultural crime: ■ Bring the neighborhood watch into rural areas – “If you’re out there and you see a strange pickup or a strange stock trailer going down the road, get some information,” Grimes said. “If you see someone in your neighbor’s field and they don’t belong there, call your neighbor and let them know. If you’re neighbor is not around, call your sheriff and let them know.”

■ Brand Livestock – Grimes said brands help investigators and troopers easily identify animals. “It’s the same thing when you go to court,” said Grimes. “You need that information to say, ‘These are my cattle, they have my brand.’ That is very helpful in criminal investigations.” Grimes said in one recent case, stolen cattle that had been ear tagged by the owner had no ear tags when thieves took them to a sale barn.

■ Lock it down – “Your tack, your equipment – don’t leave it out where it’s easily gotten to,” Grimes said.

“Locks prevent a lot of problems.” That goes for gates as well.

■ Vary your feeding schedule – “Vary that time some, so they don’t get used to coming up to one area to be fed,” Grimes said. “Feed them away from the road so they won’t congregate close to the road and become an easy target for a thief.”

on the case, the quicker the loss is discovered. That gives us a major head-start on these cases, versus if they’re a month or two or three months old.”

Grimes said evidence collected by his investigators ranges from tire tracks to fire accelerant – if there is any evidence to begin with.

“The majority of the time, there’s no evidence because of the fact that so much time has passed,” Grimes said. “Everybody thinks that all crimes are solved in an hour with CSI. That’s about as far-fetched as you can get.”

That does not mean the unit has no hightech methods of processing evidence.

The unit can use

■ Count your animals – “Check your stock on a regular basis so we don’t get a case where it’s been four or five months and now there are 10 head missing,” said Grimes. The sooner a cattle theft is discovered, the more likely it can be solved.

■ Mark your trailers – “Put your driver’s license number or your brand on your trailer,” Grimes said. If a state trooper stops someone pulling a stolen trailer with a driver’s license number on it, the trooper can contact you to make sure the driver is authorized to have your trailer.

■ Be a shutterbug – Grimes says photos of animals, especially horses, can easily be kept on a computer to help identify them, should they go missing. “That makes it really handy if we go hunting for those horses if they get stolen.”

■ Avoid the road – Grimes suggests producers keep both corrals to farm equipment out of sight from travelers on nearby roads. “Take the key out if you’re going to be shut down for the night and disconnect the battery,” Grimes said of equipment. “Don’t build your pens close to a roadway. Don’t give them a loading pen to load your cattle out so they can steal them.”

Col. Mike Grimes, director of the Investigative Services Unit has made it a goal to improve the visibility of his division.

Investigators for the Investigative Services Unit are state police officers charged by Oklahoma law to investigate agricultural crimes. Eleven investigators, including Grimes, are stationed throughout the state.

modern crime-solving tools including DNA testing and GPS tracking to solve crimes.

“We have cases where we picked up cigarette butts and we do DNA analysis on those,” Grimes said. “They do run those against the database.”

Grimes notes that comparing DNA to a database does not necessarily result in a match.

“If we come up with a suspect, then we have something to compare that against.”

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation in Edmond conducts DNA testing for human suspects, and animal DNA is processed by independent companies.

“We utilize DNA testing both to identify animals as being from a heredity line and to identify an animal,” Grimes said. “We’ve had a couple of cases where we were able to determine that in fact it was the horse (in question) or not the horse.”

Grimes’ unit uses GPS tracking, with a court order, to track the movement of suspected wild land arsonists.

“That can eliminate a suspect just as well it can identify a suspect,” Grimes said. “We may have someone that all the information is leading us to that suspect, and we put a tracking device on the vehicle and we find out he’s not involved in that crime.”

Investigators also use polygraph, or lie detector, tests and they have access to aircraft from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol if a case needs aerial observation. Of course, the time-tested method of collecting fingerprints is also used in some cases.

“We utilize everything available to us in a criminal investigation, but it basically amounts to criminal investigation 101 – getting out there, talking to as many people, finding as many leads as possible and

Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009 • 17

following those leads,” Grimes said.

Grimes said his unit files charges in 40 to 50 cases a year, or 18 percent of the cases his unit sees.

“That seems like a low number, but in actuality, the typical solve rate for theft-type cases by law enforcement agencies is 11 percent. My goal is to continue to increase that.”

Once a suspect is taken into custody, the investigator compiles a report to present a case to the district attorney. Grimes said this process takes longer than the initial investigation.

“I require my agents to put together a complete investigative report prior to going to the DA with the case,” Grimes said. “That way, the DA has everything in front of him.

“Then we end up going to court, testifying in the case, and ultimately, hopefully, get a conviction and the person gets a penalty that is justified for the crime.”

Grimes describes the conviction rate his unit gets on cases presented to district attorneys as “very good.”

“Typically, we’ll run a 90 to 95 percent conviction rate,” Grimes said, describing the rate as “well above the national average.”

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18 • Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009

he unit has had many successful investigations with Grimes at the helm. In a year-and-a-half long investigation, Grimes said 34 charges were filed against seven people operating a theft ring across seven counties. A November 2008 arson arrest in Tillman County led to a suspect admitting guilt in six fires. Grimes said there has not been any more suspected arson fires since. A cattle theft case in Bryan and Choctaw counties involving 50 head of cattle resulted in charges filed and money from the sale of the animals being returned to the rancher.

“Our agricultural producers and rural Oklahomans need a law enforcement agency that has the expertise to deal with the types of crime our Investigative Services Unit deals with,” said state Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach. “The working relationship this division has created with other law enforcement agencies is the best tool we can have in combating rural crime and protecting the public.”

“I really believe that one of the hardestworking industries out there is the agriculture industry,” Grimes said. “They work very hard for what they’ve got. I want to see them keep it.”

Although the cold temperatures of Decem-

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ber 9 have given way to spring, Carlson is still hopeful that the criminals who killed two of his cows and injured two more will be caught.

“I hope they catch them,” Carlson said.

“This deal could go on for two or three years.

This head could show up anywhere.”

Flowers said after all the investigating he’s done on the case, he’s hoping for a phone call that yields a breakthrough.

“We’re still waiting for that call, that one call that says, ‘I’d like to tell you some information about a cow’s head that somebody may have had’,” Flowers said.

Even though the cow and her horns are gone, Carlson, like all farmers and ranchers, is looking to the next generation.

“We do have her calf from last year that we’re going to save, trying to carry on the bloodline.”

The Investigative Services Unit will also look forward, trying to find the criminals responsible.

The Investigative Services Unit welcomes producers to call in with agricultural crimes.

Their phone number is (405) 522-6102.

Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009 • 19

20 • Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009

Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009 • 21

The Tulsa County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee’s latest project with its adopted school is a greenhouse.

By Traci Morgan

Members of the Tulsa County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee visited the construction site of their newest sponsored project, a greenhouse for the county organization’s adopted school – Kendall-Whittier Elementary School in Tulsa. The greenhouse was built by Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Field Services team. Back row, from left, are Melvin Keller, Tulsa County Farm Bureau director; Paul Thomas, Kendall-Whittier Community Schools Coordinator; and OFB Field Representatives Robin Landrum, Todd Honer, Monte Tucker and Lane Jeffrey. Front row, from left, are Tulsa County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee leaders Patty Herriman, Lotsee Spradling, Helen Keller and Muriel Hayes.

22 • Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009

he buzz around school reached fever pitch as students at Kendall-Whittier Elementary School heard the power saw slicing through wood and watched the foundation of their new greenhouse take shape.

The greenhouse is the latest of many Kendall-Whittier projects sponsored by the Tulsa County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, which has a long-term history of sharing agriculture with the inner-city Tulsa school.

With more than 50 classrooms and 1,000 kindergarten through sixth grade students, Kendall-Whittier is one of the largest elementary schools in the state of Oklahoma. The interurban school has a diverse student population of mostly single parent, low-income families.

Initially adopting the second grade, the committee has partnered with the school for more than 15 years.

“We wanted to share some of our agriculture with some ‘inner-city’ kids, and we felt like this school was the one that was most in need,” said Lotsee Spradling, Tulsa County FBW chair.

As the students watched Oklahoma Farm Bureau field representatives construct the building, their excitement grew as they thought about being able to grow beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables right in their own school.

“I’m excited to plant them and watch as they grow up,” said Brayan Rodriguez, fifth grade student.

Rodriguez is a member of the school’s Garden Club, one of 11 after school clubs, which give students hands-on experience in various areas.

As part of the Garden Club, the students will learn how to plant, nurture and harvest the vegetables as well as learn the financial aspect by selling some of what they produce.

The idea for a greenhouse came about during a conversation with Paul Thomas, Community Schools Coordinator for Kendall-Whittier.

Thomas was interested in a community garden, and the women’s committee thought it would be a good idea for the kids to sprout the plants that would be used in the community garden, as well as the school’s garden.

So, the committee purchased material for the building, and Holman Seed Farms in Collinsville, owned by Tulsa County Farm Bureau leaders Wayne and Patty Herriman, donated the bulk of the seed to be used.

“We want to provide kids with as many varied experiences as possible,” Thomas said, “and this one is important because most of our kids do not have any idea where food comes from. They’re probably thinking it comes from the grocery store.

“So, through our partnership with Farm Bureau, we want to help the kids see in their urban environment how to plant and grow various things from flowers to food products,” he added.

Spradling said her committee members can walk into the school building and be instantly recognized after working with the kids for so long. The students get excited about whatever project is next, and the greenhouse is no exception.

“It’s a good feeling to know that you’ve given life to something, and that the end product is going to be helpful to either themselves or the community,” she said. “They’re going to get to eat their produce and look at the flowers, and that’s a thing of beauty. So, we just hope that they really get connected back to the earth and how things are done in our field.”

With the majority of Americans far removed from the farm today, especially in urban areas, Spradling sees great importance in continuing to teach these children about agriculture.

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Paul Thomas, Community Schools Coordinator for Kendall-Whittier Elementary School, measured PVC pipe for construction of the greenhouse while OFB Field Representative Monte Tucker looked on.

Kendall-Whittier fifth grade students helped construct the greenhouse on school property. From left, are OFB Field Representatives Lindsey Davis and Lane Jeffrey, and students Brayan Rodriguez, Luis Vargas and Roberto Bustos.

Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009 • 23

Students in Mrs. Julia Banks class inspected the sprouts growing from seeds they planted, which will be housed in the school’s new greenhouse. Mrs. Banks is the teacher sponsor for the Kendall-Whittier Garden Club and is the school’s resident horticulturist.

“They’re all going to be consumers some day, and they have no idea milk comes from cows, meat comes from animals, or that vegetables are actually grown on someone’s farm,” she said. “It’s so important to our survival as farmers and ranchers that they appreciate who we are, where we are and what we do in order to keep the food prices down and the quality up like we have historically in America.”

Spradling said the committee’s partnership with Kendall-Whittier has opened the door for several memorable projects, some of which include a tree planting, a butterfly garden, Ag in the Classroom activities and field trips to the Flying G Ranch – a horse, cattle and pecan operation owned

by Mike and Lotsee Spradling. fter budget cuts halted field trips, Spradling brought the ranch to the kids.

A demonstration with a cow, a horse and a mini horse taught the students about animal agriculture.

One particular demonstration has a lasting effect on Spradling.

“They brought the autistic class out, and this one little boy was just hugging the horse and feeding it hay,” she said. “We found out later that this little boy wouldn’t talk to anyone, wouldn’t touch anything, wouldn’t ask any questions, so the experience just opened up a new page in his life.”

That event led the committee to recently purchase Breyer® horses for the autistic class.

Thomas said building relationships with groups and individuals, like the Tulsa County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, is vital to the education and success of the students.

“I’m sure people get tired of hearing there’s never enough money,” he said. “That’s not all what this is about. This is about being able to expose kids to professions and experiences they wouldn’t have otherwise.

“You can never predict what is going to turn a kid around, or spark his interest or light his passion,” Thomas continued. “And that’s what these relationships and these partnerships are all about – being able to help our kids see what goes on beyond the walls of this school.”

Thomas said the students realize the women’s committee is there for them.

“They understand that somebody’s doing something special for them,” he said, “and that is significant with our population.”

Fifth grade student Indra Coronado takes it one step further.

“I think that the people who want to help my school and help us build a greenhouse are pretty cool if they’re trying to spend their time helping others,” she said.

It’s safe to say Tulsa County’s efforts with Kendall-Whittier Elementary School have made a lasting impression and will continue to open new doors for its student population.

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Kendall-Whittier students and staff, along with Tulsa County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee leaders, checked out the inside of the completed greenhouse. From left, are Denise Nava, Brayan Rodriguez, Paul Thomas, Helen Keller, Patty Herriman, Lotsee Spradling, Luis Vargas and Roberto Bustos.

24 • Oklahoma Country • Spring 2009