Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced the launch of Operation SAFE (Swift Action for Families Everywhere) to clear homeless encampments and enforce the law in Tulsa on Thursday.
According to the announcement from Governor Stitt’s office, Operation SAFE is being launched to restore safety to Tulsa by clearing homeless encampments, trash and criminal activity inside the city.
The announcement stated the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) has the authority to target state-owned property. This includes underpasses, highways, state buildings and other state-controlled land.
“Governor Stitt made clear that while the state is stepping up to fulfill its duty, the long-term responsibility for city property rests with the City of Tulsa’s elected leadership,” Governor Stitt’s office announced. “Governor Stitt has had numerous conversations with Mayor Nichols in recent weeks urging the city to gain control of the situation, but progress has fallen short of Tulsa residents’ expectations.”
The announcement provided the following statement from Governor Stitt:
“Tulsa is a beautiful city. I lived there for years. But today, everybody can see the disaster it’s turning into— homeless people on every corner, trash piling up, and Oklahoma families are being forced to live in fear,” said Governor Stitt. “This is the city’s job, but Mayor Nichols and Tulsa leadership haven’t met the level of action needed to keep neighborhoods safe. Oklahoma is going to step in to do our part and clean it up. Once we’ve done so, it’ll be on the City to keep Tulsa clean and safe. If they refuse, then we’ll be forced to take further action to protect Tulsans.”
Governor Stitt’s office announced OHP started issuing warnings to homeless individuals and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) started posting notices at encampments on state property “to vacate and cease occupation, in accordance with 64 O.S. § 1097," the announcement read. ODOT will also lead remediation, clearing and clean-up efforts.
“These camps are often located along highway rights-of-way or beneath overpasses, creating severe hazard for the public and homeless individuals alike. ODOT will also lead remediation, clearing, and clean-up efforts,” the announcement read.
Stitt’s office said if OHP encounters illegal immigrants during the operation, they will be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
According to the announcement, State Troopers will offer homeless individuals two options:
- A ride to a treatment or housing facility
- A ride to jail and face prosecution if they refuse help and continue breaking the law
The announcement provided a statement from Bill Knight, Chair of the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce:
“Tulsa’s business community supports leadership that prioritizes the safety of those who live and work within our city and region,” Knight said. “We appreciate the governor’s actions to enforce the laws and bolster Tulsa’s pursuit to enhance quality of life. This initiative complements the ongoing efforts by various Tulsa entities, reinforcing our collective commitment to addressing complex issues like homelessness and public safety.”
The City of Tulsa released a statement from Mayor Monroe Nichols after Governor Stitt’s announcement.
“First of all, Kevin Stitt has shown himself again to be an unserious person,” Mayor Nichols stated in part. “When I took office, I inherited a homelessness crisis largely unaddressed by anyone in public office, including our two-term governor, who disbanded the interagency council on homelessness, which had a crippling impact on service providers, leading to what we have today. Instead of spending my time engaging in activities that won’t reduce homelessness, I have created the Safe Move Initiative, which aims to get hundreds of people off the streets for good, rather than simply shifting the problem elsewhere.”
Mayor Nichols went on to say the City of Tulsa has a pathway to its goal of ending homelessness by 2030.
“I’m going to continue doing the job I was elected to do, and I am not interested in being lectured by someone who has proven time and time again that he only cares to intervene to score political points,” Nichols stated.
Mayor Nichols said there’s a long way to go, but progress has been made.
“As background on two separate areas, crime is down in all categories, and homelessness, which grew by over 20 percent the year before I took office, grew by only 4 percent this year,” the statement read. “We have a long way to go, but we are making progress and will continue to do so. I will not be distracted or deterred from doing what we know is necessary to end this crisis in Tulsa.”
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