New Tulsa County Sheriff Aims To Bring Back 9 Reserve Deputies

We learned on Wednesday the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office is close to putting nine reserve deputies back on duty.

The program was suspended last year after then-reserve deputy Bob Bates shot and killed Eric Harris.

When new sheriff Vic Regalado took office, he implemented significant changes, including more field training, more time at the gun range, scenario training and patrol training.

The reserves won't be assigned to special operations units or task forces.

Regalado said the program is coming back in small increments, and the first nine should meet their requirements in the next two or three weeks.

"We're not going to cut corners, as I've said before, and we're going to continue moving on,” Regalado said. “And when everybody's met the requirements, then they'll be activated."

Regalado hopes the majority of reserve deputies will be trained and back in the field in time for the Tulsa State Fair.

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