Bryen requested the arrest report from the Ponca City Police Department under the Oklahoma Open Records Act on July 19. The request was part of Bryen’s investigation into who died in Oklahoma’s jails, how they ended up there in the first place and whether mental health and substance use conditions contributed to their deaths.
The officer’s summary of the incident and arrest was missing from the document provided to Bryen. Those first-hand accounts detail how officers responded, who was present, what information officers received, if officers noticed signs of mental illness or substance use, whether weapons were displayed or discharged and what led to the arrest.
Hansen, 39, was arrested by Ponca City police on July 26, 2022, for allegedly assaulting his wife in front of a child, according to the information provided by the department. There were no details about the officer’s response or the events leading up to the arrest. Hansen was taken to the Kay County jail where he hanged himself in a cell on Sept. 12, 2022.
A Ponca City records employee and city attorney John Andrew told Bryen that the department does not release officer narratives to the public.
The Oklahoma Open Records Act requires law enforcement agencies to allow public access to certain records such as offense report information and facts concerning an arrest, including a brief summary of what occurred.
