Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper's invention could prevent escapes

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper's invention could help stop some escapes. <br/><br/>Trooper Alan Beaty says his Trooper Trap sets off an alarm if a person placed in custody

Monday, August 30th 2004, 9:18 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper's invention could help stop some escapes.

Trooper Alan Beaty says his Trooper Trap sets off an alarm if a person placed in custody in the back seat of a patrol car unbuckles a seat belt.

The idea came from his own experience. Beaty says he arrested a woman in October 2000 and handcuffed and buckled her into the back seat of his patrol car.

Then, while he was investigating her car, she slipped her handcuffs off, got into the driver's seat of Beaty's patrol car and drove away.

Beaty says the Trooper Trap is being tested in Oklahoma, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Arizona.