Priorities - Public Safety

Public safety remains a top priority of my administration. Although we have many challenges to face, we have made great strides as well. When I took office in the spring of 2006, the Police and Fire Departments told me that they were struggling to recruit and retain good officers because of pay and we were losing police officers at a rate of over 3 per month to other communities. Our police chief was off the job because of disagreements and violent crime in Tulsa was double the national average in many categories.

In the past 2 years, we have worked with our Tulsa Police Officers to find innovative solutions to the challenges we face. Progress has been made. We have strengthened our force, lowered attrition rates and raised salaries.

Tulsa Firefighters are also partnering with EMSA personnel to provide Tulsans with the best in first response capabilities.

Police:

• Hired veteran police chief Ron Palmer (served as Tulsa Police Chief in 1992-2002);
• Manpower: Authorized academy to keep strength above authorized level of sworn officers;
• Implemented Senior Services Unit for seniors targeted for fraud;
• Revitalized TRIAD;
• Enhanced police safety downtown:
  • Opened a new police substation on Main St.;
  • Police officers received new bikes to patrol downtown, river; more bikes are on the way;
• Launched Safe City Initiative, an outgrowth of “Operation Bullet Trap;”
• Supported the Gun Crime Intervention Project:
  • Started in November 2007, this is a gun crime reduction initiative carried out by the Gang Unit.
  • Current numbers show initiative has lead to a five-year low in gun crime in Tulsa.
  • Initiative is funded by a Department of Justice Byrne Grant.
• Partnered with the National Tactical Officers Association for training and support of TPD Special Operations Team.

Fire:

• Our Tulsa Fire Department led the operations team during the December 2007 ice storm. During this unprecedented federal disaster, the Tulsa Fire Department coordinated recovery efforts for citizens throughout the city.
• Tulsa Fire Department met in October, 2006 with the Fire Chiefs of 48 local area volunteer Fire Departments to discuss participation in future training activities and mutual aid agreements.
• Tulsa Fire Department and Oklahoma Task Force-1 Urban Search and Rescue Team received its Task Force Support Vehicle in November of 2006. Oklahoma Task Force-1 Urban Search and Rescue Team officially became active in February of 2007. As part of the TFD’s Homeland Security Division, this statewide, 110 member team specializes in Urban Search, Rescue, Building Collapse, Shoring and Tunneling. The Task Force is fully deployable within 2 hours and self-sustaining for up to 72 hours.
• A Paramedic Class began Monday, April 2, 2007 comprised of 34 individuals.
• A Formal Dedication Ceremony and open house for New Fire Station No. 9, located at 112^th and S. Yale was held on August 14, 2007.
• On July 3^rd, 2007 a group of 25 firefighters from the TFD and six other agencies departed for Coffeyville, Kansas to assist in search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of a flood and refinery HazMat spill.
• As part of the Mayor’s Mentoring to the Max initiative, the TFD launched the TFD Community Schools mentoring Partnership Program in August of 2007. This partnership adopts a school with a Fire Station in an on-going relationship. This provides a consistent in-school presence by TFD members for the purpose of serving as role models and support for children. The pilot program began with 5 schools and 5 stations and will fully expand by August, 2008 to include all 15 Community Schools.
• The TFD received notice that it will be awarded $54,417 from FEMA for a Fire Safety House trailer to train citizens and students in fire safety and other public education courses. The Tulsa Fire Department will match the grant with $13,604 for a project cost of $68,021. Since 2004, the Tulsa Fire Department has been awarded $833,250 in FEMA grants that it has matched with $260,469 for projects totaling $1,095,652. This does not count monies passed through the State Department of Homeland Security.
• The Tulsa Fire Department added two additional Advanced Life Support Engine Companies in January of 2008, for a total of 9 paramedic units and 50 paramedics.

EMSA:

• Initiated a comprehensive study, involving public and private sector leaders, of emergency medical service operations in Tulsa. 
• Renewed the Emergency Medical Services Authority trust in January 2007, thereby ensuring the continuation of medically excellent, efficient ambulance service for the City of Tulsa.
• Helped lead an initiative to identify and utilize an alternative mechanism for funding emergency medical services. The chosen funding method secured broader community support of EMS operations and provided citizens with more affordable access to ambulance care.
• Supported Office of the Medical Director efforts to engage in a strategic planning process, involving EMSA, Tulsa Fire Department and other key entities, and create a blueprint for the future of emergency medical service operations in Tulsa.
• Worked to create better communications and forge a stronger relationship between the City and EMSA.
• Involved EMSA in Mayor’s management meetings, budgetary planning sessions and other high-level strategic initiatives.     

   

Public Safety Partnerships:

• In September 2006, co-hosted the Anti-Gang Summit, “Building a Safer Tulsa,” with U.S. Attorney David O’Meilia;
  • 250 active community members are already involved in programs that address the gang issue.
• In May 2007, partnered with O’Meilia to implement the Confidential Reliable Citizens Program (CRCP), which trains selected Tulsans how to spot gang and drug activity in their neighborhoods;
• Mayor appointed to the Oklahoma Youth and Gang Violence Coordinating Council. (State-side gang steering committee);
• Initiated annual NeighborFest events:
  • Summer picnics in each city district for citizens to meet each other and City officials (including the Mayor and the district Councilor);
  • Picnics attracted more than 3,000 attendees in 2007;
  • NeighborFests culminated in the First Day of School Festival, in conjunction with the Crime Commission’s Tulsa Night Out Against Crime.
• Supportive of the City’s “Keep Kids Alive, Drive 25” program – citizens can order signs and speed humps that encourage drivers to keep 25 mph speed limit on residential streets;
• Implemented MPACC to facilitate relationships and solutions between police and communities:
  • MPACC is a diverse group of city leaders who, together with the Mayor, sit on a solution based committee that examines all angles of police and community relations.
  • The committee meets once a month and is facilitated by Hannibal Johnson.
  • MPACC also serves to help forge better relationships between the police and members of its diverse ethnic and civic groups.
• Strengthened the Family Safety Center;
• Working to implement a Community Intervention Center (CIC) in Tulsa:
  • A CIC would give area police officers a one stop shop for juvenile offenders.
  • CIC is a treatment-based center where juveniles can get referred to programs that will address the reasons for their behavior.
  • The Mayor is currently exploring a partnership with the Juvenile Bureau and Youth Services to operate the center.