Tulsa Police Officer Suspended After Drug Arrest

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A Tulsa police officer says he's innocent after being arrested on a cocaine charge early Wednesday morning.

Officer Travis Ludwig is on paid suspension after internal affairs officers say they found three, one-gram bags of cocaine and scales in Officer Ludwig's duffle bag.

As bad as it looks, Officer Ludwig's attorney says there's a perfectly logical explanation for what was found and says Officer Ludwig will take a lie detector and a drug test, anytime to prove he has done nothing wrong.

Officer Travis Ludwig was booked into jail at about 1 a.m. Wednesday on a complaint of possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute. Ludwig was released on bond. However, this story began Tuesday afternoon when internal affairs officers served papers to Officer Ludwig, telling him he was under investigation for timesheet discrepancies.

They told him they were taking his squad car, but allowed him to remove his personal items.

Ludwig's attorney says they watched as Ludwig scooped items out of his console and seat into a duffle bag.

Ludwig's attorney says the internal affairs officers came back and confiscated the duffle bag and that's when they found the cocaine and scales.

Ludwig's attorney says it's not uncommon for suspects to hide things in police cars.

"When they give their car a thorough cleaning, police find guns, knives, drugs, hidden down in the cracks of the backseat or the front seat. In this case, Travis' car doesn't have a cage. And his console, where this was found, could be accessible by a suspect," said Scott Wood, Ludwig's attorney.

As for the scales, Attorney Wood says Officer Ludwig has had those for a long time in order to weigh confiscated drugs, so he'll know what kind of charge to file.

Attorney Wood says Officer Ludwig has been chosen as officer of the month more than once for his outstanding work.

"Travis, for the 15 years of his career, was an active, for lack of a better word, dope cop and he made literally hundreds of drug arrests," said Scott Wood, Ludwig's attorney.

Chief Ron Palmer is in California for a conference, but The News On 6 talked with him a short time ago and he said if the DA files charges against Officer Ludwig, he'll be moved to suspended without pay.

Officer Ludwig got in trouble a few years ago for his relationship with a married exotic dancer and busting her husband for drugs. The drug charges were later dropped and Ludwig since married the woman. Chief Palmer says that case has nothing to do with the current one.