TULSA, Okla. - In a press conference Thursday, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Safety Commissioner, Tim Tipton, laid out OHP’s plan to reallocate resources away from Tulsa and Oklahoma City. He said that starting November 1st, OHP will reassign its resources to areas of the state with less presence from law enforcement.
The decision by OHP means that both OKC and Tulsa police departments will have to cover highways and interstates in those cities moving forward.
Shortly after the announcement, Tulsa Police Department responded and provided an update on the anticipated impact to the city when the change happens on November 1st.
Here is the statement from TPD on social media:
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Resource Reallocation Update:
Following the recent announcement from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) regarding the potential reallocation of resources away from the Tulsa area, the Tulsa Police Department would like to provide an update on the anticipated impact of this change.
Key Impacts:
- Current Staffing Shortage: Tulsa Police is currently understaffed by 137 officers, leaving no capacity to divert resources to highway safety without compromising regular calls for service.
- Specialized Training: Tulsa Police Officers lack the training required to investigate complex collisions involving large-scale vehicles and heavy-duty trucks (over 26,000 lbs.), such as semis and dump trucks. Currently, State Troopers receive specialized training to handle these situations.
- Partnership Requirements: This change would require a partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to manage emergency situations on the interstate system, including closures and diversions. This would require more Officers to handle closures, further straining our already limited resources.
- Speed Enforcement: Beyond collision response, this change would call for a significant increase in Officer presence on interstates to patrol and monitor speeds, ensuring motorist safety.
Next Steps:
This reallocation of resources is an unfunded mandate. Moving forward, the Tulsa Police Department is working closely with our partner agencies within the state to explore options for additional funding that would enable us to provide Officers with the necessary training to handle these anticipated changes. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
