Edmond police officer Dustin Hand found himself entangled in legal trouble after a strip club altercation in Valley Brook, Oklahoma, in September. As part of a plea agreement, Hand’s driver’s license was suspended for 180 days, and he paid $1,570 in administrative costs to the Valley Brook Municipal Court, resulting in dropped charges.
According to police records, the incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on September 28 at Deja Vu Showgirls, an all-nude strip club. Hand allegedly initiated a fight with an employee of the club, leading the manager to call the police. When Valley Brook police officer Jeremy Mashore arrived at the scene, he found Hand with visible blood stains on his clothing. Hand admitted to making the first physical contact by pushing the club employee, Michael Butts, who then punched Hand in response. Butts ultimately declined to press charges, and the situation was resolved.
However, despite explicit instructions from Officer Mashore to find an alternative ride home, Hand decided to drive his car through the parking lot. Consequently, he was arrested for actual physical control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated and for possession of a firearm while intoxicated, as mentioned in a second offense report filed by Mashore.
In October, Hand filed a civil lawsuit against the Department of Public Safety to contest the 180-day suspension of his driver’s license. The hearing scheduled for November 28, 2022, was later withdrawn by Hand’s attorney, Stephen Fabian, who declined to comment on the arrest or lawsuit.
Edmond Police Department conducted an internal personnel investigation related to the incident, but specific details were not disclosed. Emily Ward, EPD’s public information specialist, mentioned that Hand never performed his duties without a valid driver’s license.
Despite these legal issues, Hand remains employed as an officer with the Edmond Police Department.
Valley Brook, known for its strip clubs, has a population of around 665 people and covers about 0.3 square miles. The incident involving Hand occurred in the vicinity of Deja Vu, an establishment within the area.
Officer Mashore, who handled the arrest, detailed the events leading up to Hand’s arrest in his offense reports. He first responded to a call from the club manager about the fight, finding Hand near the front doors wiping blood off his face. According to Mashore’s report, Hand stated he was trying to prevent an escalating argument among a group of clubgoers, but the situation resulted in a physical altercation.
After diffusing the situation, Mashore instructed Hand to find a ride home for safety reasons, as he had admitted to having drinks that night. However, when Mashore later saw Hand attempting to drive his car, he arrested him for suspected intoxication.
Mashore conducted field sobriety tests, which showed indications of intoxication. Following the arrest, Hand was found in possession of a loaded firearm in his glove box.
Despite Mashore’s desire for Hand to prove his suspicions wrong, Hand refused to take a portable breath test or submit to the state test, leading to his processing and detention at the Valley Brook Police Department.
The Valley Brook Police Department’s offense reports provide further details on the incident.
The case has raised questions about the conduct of Edmond Police Department officers, and the city recently paid an attorney over $213,000 to investigate allegations of racism, sexism, and bullying against an EPD deputy chief.
