By Kirk McCracken
The Tulsa Police Department is making moves to make our city safer.
TPD held a joint news conference today to announce a new division to help with public safety needs. The new division would mean four patrol divisions, instead of the current three — Mingo Valley, Gilcrease, and Riverside. Mingo Valley covers East Tulsa, Gilcrease covers North Tulsa, and Riverside covers South Tulsa.
The new division will cover downtown and will start in late August.
Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen says crime is down in downtown Tulsa.
“For more than a year, we’ve been meeting with community members and business owners who told us they wanted more visible public safety presence in downtown,” Larsen said.
Last year, the city council passed a downtown curfew for teens after several shootings resulted in death.
“By focusing the police task force last summer, supported by the mayor, the city council passing the curfew ordinance, we saw a significant decrease in crime in downtown Tulsa,” Larsen said.
The police department hasn’t landed on an official name for the division, and they’ve asked officers to make name suggestions.
Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols was on hand to speak, as well as Tulsa Chamber President Mike Neal and Commissioner of Public Safety Laurel Roberts.
