Mayor Eyes Grant Money For Deputies

When it comes to keeping Tulsans safe, Mayor Bartlett is looking at all the options.  That includes using sheriff’s deputies and possibly federal stimulus dollars to hire them.  Fox 23’s Douglas Clark has the story.
 
The city’s police force is 89 officers lighter due to a recent round of city-wide layoffs.  So Mayor Bartlett says if the city continues to suffer financially, he’ll look into tapping federal grant money to pay sheriff’s deputies to enforce the law. 
 
The city already has a contract with the county to run the jail.  If economic conditions worsen, that contract could be expanded. 
 
“He asked me two months ago to look at possibly policing part of the city,” says Sheriff Stanley Glanz.
 
According to the mayor, deputies could protect the city at a more affordable rate.  Right now, the sheriff’s office enforces state law and a new agreement would allow deputies to enforce city ordinances as well.  Deputies’ efforts would supplement the work of TPD officers, who recently lost their mounted patrols and helicopters due to budget cuts.
 
“I have a mounted patrol in place now,” says Glanz.  “I don’t have a helicopter but I do have reserve deputies who have helicopters and when we have a mission, they’ll fly that copter for me.”
 
Mayor Bartlett defends criticism that he’s trying to merge the departments and create a metro police force. 
 
“I’m not trying to break up a union or merge the sheriff’s department into the Tulsa police department.  I’m not trying to do that at all.  I’m just trying to make sure we’ve looked at all our options to provide good safety for the citizens of Tulsa,” says Bartlett.
 
The mayor says he might ask the federal government whether the city can use grant money to fund the work the deputies perform for the city. 
 
How does Tulsa’s chief of police feel about using sheriff’s deputies to patrol the city?  Chief Chuck Jordan said simply that right now, the city has adequate staffing levels to protect the city of Tulsa. 
 
Sheriff Glanz says other cities have been more successful at securing federal grant money when multiple agencies, like police and sheriff’s departments, submit applications together.