Tulsa Mayoral Debate: What Should Be The Top Priority For Tulsa Police?

The Tulsa mayoral debate between candidates Karen Keith and Monroe Nichols is currently underway. Monroe Nichols, a Democratic representative for Oklahoma House District 72, is vying for the mayor's seat.

Karen Keith, also a Democrat, is the Tulsa County Commissioner for District 2. Her jurisdiction includes Sand Springs, Tulsa, Jenks, and Glenpool.

When it comes to crime, what do you think should be the top priority of the Tulsa Police Department?

Nichols: I think it's a couple of things. I mean, a) I think we have to get up to our authorized force and officers. We are understaffed as a police department, so we have to get on the track of recruiting officers and making sure we're doing everything we can to retain them. I was proud to support a bill in the legislature to really hopefully keep folks in the profession for a little bit longer. My dad was a police officer before he passed away. My uncle is a police officer. I know how hard that job is and how important is for us to make sure that we're investing in the folks that are on the streets. I do think we have to focus, though, on getting the most violent offenders off our streets in Tulsa and allow us to invest in neighborhoods so we can ensure that, as you know, look crime: there's a bunch of root cause issues, and this is not just an enforcement issue, so we have to make sure that we are getting the violent criminals off the street, and then we have to do our part and make sure we're investing in those same areas. So we can not only reduce crime, but we can improve education, we can improve economic development, we can improve prosperity, but it starts with getting those violent criminals off the street.

Keith: We are 130 officers short. We have the funds we need to stand up and get more recruits into our community. So how are we going to do that? I mean, the police, they're going everywhere, trying to recruit folks. I want to be a part of that effort. And a former candidate, VanNorman, suggested that we go to some of the states where maybe law enforcement doesn't feel so appreciated, and try to recruit and bring them back here to Tulsa, because we do have an amazing police force, and I will always have their backs. Senate Bill 825, Monroe voted to defund the police at the state level, the state legislature, and I will never do that. I can promise you, I will always have the backs of our law enforcement officers, because they are the ones who keep us safe day in and day out, and I'm really grateful for them, and grateful to have their endorsement. The FOP has endorsed our campaign.

Nichols: I have no idea what Karen (Keith) is talking about, but what I do know is the fact that she probably had to look down at the notes, means that she did not know that, she did not know that, and she did not write it, and I'm not even sure it's true. I would never defund the police. My dad was a police officer, and I'm sure if he were alive today, he'd be really frustrated by somebody accusing me of doing so. I think we have to invest in our officers, invest in our community, and make sure this is the safest big city in the country, irrespective of what people have to say about distorting my record in the past.

Keith: We did the research, it's Senate Bill 825 and you're on record. Nichols: What did the bill do? Keith: It would defund the police, it was setup to defund the police. Municipalities have their funding, and it would not allow municipalities to take funding away from the police. That's how it was said.