New sheriff gets 'baptism by fire'

VINITA, Okla. (AP) -- The new Rogers County sheriff sums up his first few weeks on the job this way: "Baptism by fire."

Sheriff Jimmie Sooter first had to deal with an office that literally was in disarray, and since has had a suicide, an accidental death and a hostage-taking by a "berserk" inmate.

"I've seen two things in two days that I've never seen before in my life -- only on TV," said Sooter, referring to the suicide and accidental death.

On Jan. 2, when he took office, Sooter and Undersheriff B.J.

Floyd found investigative files, records and inventory sheets scattered, misplaced or missing.

Keys, most of which were unlabeled, were scattered on desk tops and in desk drawers. Like-new walkie talkies were broken in half and left in a trash can.

"The first four days, all we did was count and sort keys,"

Floyd said.

Sooter said his predecessor, George Vaughn, "probably wasn't aware of all that went on." Vaughn underwent open-heart surgery and left office earlier than expected. Former Undersheriff Mark Hays resigned last fall.

On his first day, Sooter found only three of the department's 11 cars were running, "and one of those was doubtful." The next day, two more department vehicles quit but were repairable. That was the day an inmate took another inmate hostage. The episode ended without injury, Sooter said.

Four days after Sooter took office, the state auditor and the jail inspector visited. The inspector found that Sooter had already attended to the list of improvements the jail needed to make if it were not to be shut down.