"These men and women are serving warrants and we're dealing with crimes sometimes that are in the millions of dollars," says Commissioner John Doak, explaining the purchase of $180-thousand worth of shotguns, bullet-proof vests and police-package vehicles. He says the purchase will help protect his agents and Oklahomans. He explains the dangers of working insurance-checkpoints with local law enforcement officers, "They need to be prepared just like the other local law enforcement agencies because they're stopping folks that not only don't have insurance, but have warrants and arrests. We've had earthquakes in Lincoln County, wildfires in Creek County, and tornadoes out in the panhandle that my office is responsible to get on the ground and make sure that unscrupulous contractors are not taking advantage of Oklahoma consumers."

But, some state lawmakers, like State Representative Jason Murphey, disagrees. He says state agencies who wish to serve warrants should call on the help of the local sheriff. "That's the way it should be because the local sheriff is responsible to the people. A state-level bureaucrat isn't nearly as responsive to the local citizens should he misuse that authority," says Rep. Murphey, (R)- Guthrie. "We're seeing a disturbing trend in state governement where more and more state agencies are moving towards having their own internal police departments. That's bad policy. It's not directly responsible to local tax-payers who can always un-elect their Sheriff, if the Sheriff misuses tax-payer money and acts inappropriately. But, (they) have a harder time un-electing a state official who has turned his department into a mini-police department."

"The Oklahoma Insurance Department is a law enforcement division with our anti-fraud unit," counters Commissioner Doak. He says his nine-member anti-fraud unit is made up of former law enforcement veterans, including former OSBI agents and homicide detectives. He says the purchase was made to prevent situations like one in Louisiana last year. "Two of their fraud officers went to serve a warrant at a place of business and were shot and killed," explains Commissioner Doak.

But, some state lawmakers say purchases such as this are leading to a police state which may be used to generate revenue through intimidation. "The county sheriff trains his deputies to act as law enforcement officers. The Insurance Department should train their investigators to primarily investigate. When a state agency executes their mission appropriately, they should do it based on its merits and not necessarily because they have the backing of their own internal police department," says Rep. Murphey.

State Senator Harry Coates is going so far as planning legislation to restrict the department from developing what he calls a "police-like posture." "It's clearly going to be necessary. It's a good idea," says Rep. Murphey, backing the idea.

But, Commissioner Doak says he's simply doing his duty. "It's my job as an elected Insurance Commissioner to make sure that the folks under my direction in my anti-fraud unit are able to go home to their families and kids (each night), and I will always err on the side of being cautious," he says.

The Commissioner also wanted to make it clear-- the purchase was not made with tax-payer dollars. It was paid for through a revolving-fund of money from fees, fines, penalties and settlements the department collects. "The bad guys are paying for the Oklahoma Insurance Department's fraud efforts," says Commissioner Doak.