Suspended Valley Brook police chief to be arraigned on drug charges

BY ANDREW KNITTLE aknittle@opubco.com

Published: January 12, 2012

SAPULPA — Suspended Valley Brook Police Chief Melvin Fisher will be arraigned on a drug charge in Creek County.

Fisher, who was arrested Labor Day along with another man, was in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.

Court records show Fisher, who initially was charged with drug trafficking, now faces the lesser charge of possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute.

Aaron McKey, a trooper with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, was called to testify, documents show.

Fisher is on unpaid leave from the Valley Brook Police Department.

Fisher, 48, drew his $53,000 annual salary from the time of his arrest until the end of 2011.

The Valley Brook Town Council voted to switch his status to unpaid leave in mid-December.

Council members were instructed by the town attorney not to say why.

The suspended chief has been free on $31,000 bail since his arrest.

He is due back in court Jan. 17.

Labor Day arrests

Fisher was arrested Sept. 5 on the Turner Turnpike by troopers who suspected he was driving under the influence.

McKey searched Fisher's Cadillac Escalade and reported finding 20 grams of methamphetamine, an ounce of marijuana, a “large” crack rock, digital scales, four tabs of Ecstasy and numerous pills.

Jammie Palmer, 43, was arrested along with Fisher. Palmer claimed to be the owner of a small bag that contained a “loaded syringe and multiple unknown pills,” records show.

Both men were charged with drug trafficking and unlawful possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute after the arrest.

Fisher, who has been Valley Brook's police chief for more than 20 years, no longer has access to the town's municipal complex, which includes the police department and courtroom.