Two Jennings reserve police officers fired

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Two reserve officers from the town ofJ ennings have been fired after causing confusion and concern at two Tulsa schools last week. <br><br>Peter Broderick and Thomas Pittman wore

Tuesday, April 25th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Two reserve officers from the town ofJ ennings have been fired after causing confusion and concern at two Tulsa schools last week.

Peter Broderick and Thomas Pittman wore black T-shirts that said "police" on them and were armed when they went to the schools Thursday, the anniversary of the Columbine shooting, Jennings Police Chief Harrison Gibson said.

Gibson said he suspended the men that day and then fired them from their volunteer positions Monday after investigating the matter further.

"I have never had any problem with these guys here in the city of Jennings," Gibson said. "They have always been very professional."

Broderick and Pittman say they did nothing wrong and were simply looking for security jobs at the schools.

"This whole deal has been blown out of proportion," Broderick said.

Tulsa Police Officer David Gervino said the reserve officers went to East Central High School and to Memorial High School, as well as a school in Claremore.

Gervino, who works as a school resource officer at East Central High, said he was contacted Thursday by East Central security after two men who reportedly said they were Gangs Task Force officers went there and requested a tour of the school.

Gervino said he contacted members of the Tulsa County Gangs Task Force and was told none of the unit's officers had gone to the school. Police began investigating and determined that the men were Jennings reserve officers.

"We contacted the police chief there, and he was unaware that his reserve officers were here doing this," Gervino said.

Pittman said he and Broderick never said they were with the Gangs Task Force.

"We went there to check for a security job. At no time did we say we were gangs officers," he said.

Tulsa Public Schools spokesman John Hamill said that as soon as school officials learned that the men had gone to the schools, they notified all principals of the security concern through e-mail and phone calls.