Questions about Tulsa reserve deputy's qualifications
TULSA, Okla. -- There are allegations that the Tulsa reserve deputy who shot an unarmed man to death did not have the training that he claimed.
When Eric Harris, 44, ran from Tulsa deputies during a gun sting operation, reserve deputy Robert Bates, 73, was part of the team that chased him. Bates was considered an advanced reserve officer, meaning he was authorized to participate in active raids.
But after Bates says he mistakenly fired his personal gun instead of his taser, killing the suspect, questions were asked about his qualifications and weapons training.
CBS News has obtained Bates' training record since he joined the Reserve Program in 2008. The documents show he had over 400 hours of law enforcement training.
But sources close to the sheriff's office today told CBS News some of those documents were falsified. They claim at least three officers were pressured by their supervisor to change Bates' records to show he received training he had never taken -- and that two were transferred to less desirable positions when they refused.
A sheriff's office spokesman today had no comment on the allegations, saying "we do not respond to rumors."
The documents also show Bates last qualified to carry a department issued Glock in April of last year.
But those records do not include law enforcement certification to carry the .357 revolver he used in the Harris shooting.
On a radio show earlier this week, Sheriff Stanley Glanz, said there was a problem with the office's record keeping.
"He is certified with his own firearm and he is certified with the standard issue firearm. But the problem that we have, that we're trying to verify is, he qualified...we can't find the records...," said Glanz.
Bates said he received training from the Maricopa County Sheriff in Arizona, but a spokesperson for the sheriff's department there told us they don't have any record of Bates.
He is expected to answer to those second degree manslaughter charges when he's arraigned next week. Also Bates was a close friend of the sheriff and a top contributor to his political campaign.