TPD Blog

Attacker described; $10,000 reward out

By JEFF BILLINGTON World Staff Writer

9/27/2007

BROKEN ARROW -- Police released a description Wednesday of a man who is sought in the abduction and sexual assault of a 5-year-old girl last week.

Maj. Mark Irwin said the girl, whom police have interviewed twice this week, described her attacker as a fair-skinned white man, age 30 to 40, who is partially bald with thinning light-colored hair.

The attacker had no facial hair and did not wear eyeglasses at the time of the assault, Irwin said.

A composite sketch of the attacker will be released later this week, he said.

Police also announced Wednesday that an anonymous donor has put up a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the girl's attacker.

Irwin said the car used in the abduction is now being described as small and white. Police are not ruling out the initial description of a white Dodge Intrepid, but they also are pursuing leads on similar makes and models, he said.

Witnesses reported seeing a white man driving a white car in the area of the abduction, in the 500 block of East Galveston Drive, and also where the girl was let go, in the 25600 block of East 51st Street, a dead-end street just inside Wagoner County.

The girl had been playing in her front yard about 6:40 p.m. Sept. 20 when she disappeared. She was found about 45 minutes later, walking naked and crying, about 7-1/2 miles from her home.

The girl was bleeding, and police said her injuries were consistent with rape. She was taken to a Tulsa hospital, where she underwent surgery. She was later released.

Police found the girl's clothing and shoes in bushes near where she was found. Irwin said it looked as though the clothing might have been tossed out of a car window.

The anonymous donor of the $10,000 "came a couple of days ago and asked us if this might help," Irwin said of the reward.

"After a few kinks were worked out, the person was able to go ahead and offer the money in hopes it might help capture someone."

Detectives have received about 100 leads since the attack and have been able to follow up on about 40, Irwin said.

Police are asking anyone with information to call the Police Department at 259-8400 or its Crime Line at 259-1111. Callers can remain anonymous.

A fund for the girl and her family has been set up under account No. 2549947, City National Bank, 6310 S. Elm Place, Broken Arrow, OK 74011.

Jeff Billington 581-8369

jeff.billington@tulsaworld.com

Visit TPD at the Tulsa State Fair

Getting a Leg Up…

I was traipsing around an apartment complex looking for dope dealers and smokers. It didn’t take very long to find ‘em. And while walking around, I encountered a younger dude that I recognized. I knew him from somewhere on the side of town I worked last year. He gave me his (fake) name, but it didn’t sound right. And I recognized the other person he was with too. Anyway, he was "clean." And while I wasn’t completely satisfied with his story, I knew I’d remember his (real) name sooner or later. So I left him alone for now. Besides, a large group of a dozen or so "citizens" started to congregate nearby.

While stalking my prey, I got on the radio and asked for a backer (another officer to assist). A good sergeant who looks after me, knew what I was up to, and got me the right amount of back-up that I really needed. I had been standing around out of sight (or so I thought) for a good ten minutes watching the group. They mingled around, passed beers and bottles and other things back and forth. I was sitting down behind a car, up against a wall thinking nobody could see me. Well, nobody except for the person in the upstairs apartment who opened the window, looked down at me, and made the "whoop, whoop" sound that everybody unmistakably knows, and can only mean one thing: the cops are here; the "po-po" are out; 5-0.

Everybody scattered and disappeared into doors, cars, and cracks in mere seconds. The crickets seemed suddenly deafening. Instead of a dozen people to investigate, it was me, two cats, and a page from last month’s People magazine drifting in the parking lot.

Anyway, a bunch of other officers arrived. We hung out and waited for people to come back around. Unknowingly, two other officers stopped and interviewed the dude I had just stopped. When I left, I told the dude to get in his car and leave. Well, he didn’t heed my advice…

Two officers who came to help ran into the same dude. They took more time to figure out who he was and discovered he had a warrant. Since he also gave Officer ROSE a bogus name, ROSE—in a totally ordinary manner—asks the dude, "hey, you know it’s a crime to lie to the police?"

Well, it seems ROSE should get a side job at the Olympics because after he said that, the dude took off running like he was goin’ for the gold. ROSE and his partner instantly chased after him. Meanwhile, I was walking across a nearby parking lot back to my car since nothing was going on (or so I thought). But that changes as soon as I turned the corner.

I heard some kind of yelling. I saw the dude running across the parking lot. ROSE was chasing him. FOOT PURSUIT!!!

I saw the dude run toward a flight of stairs—and in a single leap—jump over them. The dude cleared about 15 feet in a single bound. But he hit the ground hard. Real hard. I thought he wasn’t going to get up after jumping that far and falling on his face, but he did.

I ran after him as he tried to duck into a dark alley. ROSE was on his heels and we both met up at the alley. "He’s right there!" I yelled. ROSE lit up the bushes with his flashlight and just under a bush we found our suspect.

But something wasn’t right. After I handcuffed him, I leaned him over to the right, but his left foot was still facing left (instead of right, like it normally should). Then I noticed that his knee bone was about where his mid-thigh should be. Yup, his leg was broken, and broke pretty bad.

As ROSE was telling me what happened, I recognized the dude—and his real name. ROSE also figured out that he had a felony warrant, which explains why he ran.

However, he didn’t get very far—and broke his leg (leg cast not included) on the hurdle after his 50-yard dash. Not much of an Olympic performance. And any dreams of being a track star about as broken as his fibula, but he did "take home" a nice life-long reminder of why you shouldn’t run from the po-lice.

Off. Jay Chiarito-Mazzarella

Ticket pad use could see end

By BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer

9/20/2007

Police have proposed switching to an electronic system, which they say would save thousands of hours.

Tulsa police could issue tickets electronically by the start of next year under a proposal being considered by the administration and City Council.

"I think this would improve public safety -- not in a small way, but in a big way," Councilor John Eagleton said during this week's council committee meetings.

At present, officers write all tickets by hand, which takes time -- about 20 minutes for a single citation.

Electronic ticketing could cut that time to eight minutes, freeing officers for more enforcement time.

With 500 officers writing about 120,000 citations a year, a 12-minute savings for each ticket amounts to 24,000 hours of additional police time.

Such a system also could reduce the 25 percent of tickets that cannot be prosecuted because they are lost, illegible because of poor handwriting or missing information.

Officer Will Dalsing of the Police Department's Crime Analysis, Planning, Evaluation and Research Section said electronic ticketing had been discussed for years.

"We see it as a way for the officers to do their jobs more effectively," he said.

"Most major departments have gone electronic. The issue for us has been funding."

The proposal, drafted by police officials, breaks the $2.3 million project into four phases.

The first phase would spend $300,000 for 50 devices, the hardware and software, wireless services and training.

Once any issues are resolved, additional devices would be phased in until 500 are in service. The timeline would be 16 to 26 months.

Councilor Bill Martinson said he supported the idea but questioned whether the department could buy fewer devices that would be shared by officers on different shifts.

Officer Jay Chiarito-Mazzarella, who is working on the project, said officers once shared radios years ago.

"Our shifts overlap, and what we found was that a lot of time was spent waiting for the handoff," he said. "That's not a good use of an officer's time."

City Budget Director Pat Connelly said officials were trying to identify a source of funding. He asked for four weeks until the matter is brought back to the council.

Eagleton, who has pushed to fund additional police positions through ticket-writing, said that once the investment is made in the system, it should end up making more money for the city. "I think it's a brilliant solution to a budgetary dilemma," he said.

Brian Barber 581-8322

brian.barber@tulsaworld.com

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Craig Morford Announces 2007 Project Safe Neighborhoods Achievement Awards Recipients at National Conference

ATLANTA, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Justice today announced 19 recipients of the national Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Achievement Awards in a ceremony held before more than 1,000 attendees at the National PSN Conference. The recipients were chosen from a large pool of nominations submitted by U.S. Attorneys' Offices across the nation.     "The fight to keep our communities safe is one of the highest priorities of the Department of Justice, and the individuals and groups we recognize today are among our most important allies," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Craig Morford. "We are proud to be their partners and applaud their exceptional contributions."     The recipients of the 2007 PSN Achievement Awards are as follows:

………….

In the category:

Outstanding Gang Investigations

-- RAGE Task Force, MS-13 Gang Investigation (Prince George's County, Md.). The task force identified and infiltrated several extremely violent MS-13 "cliques" in Maryland, and undertook to dismantle them through the use of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, resulting in charges against 27 gang members for RICO-based offenses.

-- Operation Ceasefire Task Force, 107 Hoover Crips Gang Investigation (Tulsa, Okla.). The investigation targeted the leadership of the 107 Hoover Crips, whose gang war with the Neighborhood Crips was responsible for a string of 18 murders that occurred in late 2003 to mid 2004. The PSN task force included ATF, FBI, DEA, ICE, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, and the Tulsa Police Department. The effort culminated in a 147-count indictment charging 14 defendants. The operation also produced 107 gang-related targets, resulting in 18 federal court cases and 57 state court cases.

-- Columbia Violent Gang Task Force, Bloods Street Gang Investigation (Columbia, S.C.). The Columbia Violent Gang Task Force has made a significant impact on violent gang-related crime since its formation in October 2004. By using every technique at their disposal, including multiple Title III wiretaps, overt, aggressive surveillance, pretextual car stops, and arrests to disrupt a number of planned robberies and shootings, the task force disrupted the Bloods Street Gang, which was clearly the largest threat in the increasingly violent gang problem in South Carolina. Over 100 Bloods Gang members and associates have been indicted.

-- Newark FBI/Safe Streets Gang Task Force, Double II Bloods Gang Investigation (Newark, N.J.). The Double II Bloods investigation involved racketeering and other charges against 43 members and associates of a gang that controlled a large section of the heroin trade in East Orange, N.J., and was responsible for at least six murders. The cooperation included the U.S. Attorney's Office, FBI, ATF, Essex County Prosecutor's Office, and other local law enforcement. 21 members and associates of the gang were ultimately charged with racketeering conspiracy and substantive racketeering encompassing six murders, seven murder conspiracies, and 14 attempted murders, as well as an ongoing heroin distribution conspiracy, gun trafficking and 18 other firearms offenses. All but one of the defendants eventually pleaded guilty, including five of the most hard core members to racketeering charges, including murder.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-18-2007/0004665487&EDATE=

Electronic Ticketing Coming To Tulsa Police Department

Tuesday September 18,2007 Reporter: Bill Mitchell

Tulsa - Soon, ticket writing for Tulsa police will go high-tech. They will scan your driver's license, punch in the violations, send the ticket to the courts and hand over your copy. The new electronic ticket writing machines will be faster, more efficient and more effective.

Currently, when a police officer stops a person they get out the old ticket book, they get your driver's license, go back to the car and start writing. That takes anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes. The new electronic ticket takers take two thirds less time.

"With using the electronic device, we can reduce that time significantly down to about seven to eight minutes," says Jay Chiarito-Mazzarella.

Those we spoke with think the e-tickets are a good idea.

"I think it would be quicker, simpler, easier, less paperwork," says Robert James.

"I think it would work good. It's automated, it's updated," adds Dickey Thompson.

"Well, either way I know I'm getting a ticket. That would be a good deal, that would cut down on false identification."

Officer Harold Goad agrees with all of them. He adds that spending less time on a traffic stop on the side of the road is a safety issue, especially on the interstates.

"They're watching the activity on the side of the road and they'll drive over and side swipe the people's car. They'll side swipe the car that's been stopped, and in some cases they'll actually hit the police officer."

Officer Goad says it would streamline the process from the side of the road to the judge's bench. Even people getting tickets say the electronic process is a sign of the times.

"Fine with me," says Sondra Steinberg. "Lots of things, my doctor's are going for that kind of a system. It's part of living today."

The police department hopes to get fifty of the electronic ticket writing machines at a cost of about 200-thousand dollars. They should be out in the field by the first of the year.

Forty of the devices will go to the officers in the traffic squad. Over the next several years, it's hoped the rest of the department will also get the devices.

Copyright KTUL 2007.

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0907/456601.html

Safe City Initiative Planning Session

This morning a planning session was held with Crime Analysis and the commander of Safe City, Capt. Matt Kirkland.

Captain Yates, Off Carl Weddington, Off Charles Wulff, Sgt Richard Alexander, and Kathy Bridges help identify crime trends and hot spots throughout the city with advanced mapping technology.

Capt. Kirkland delivers this information directly to the supervisors and officers assigned to the Initiative.

These sessions will continue weekly.

Officer Dan Ward Promoted to Corporal

Congratulations, Dan.

Dan Ward was officially promoted Tuesday, September 18th, 2007. We wish him all the best.

If You’re Happy and You Know It

Another two weeks have passed. Unfortunately it doesn’t appear there is any light at the end of the tunnel. Time has passed quickly but with time comes more information, books, and a lack of sleep.

After Labor Day weekend we dove right into the range. The first day back we were standing tall on the pavement shooting. Instructors were everywhere and so was the brass from the rounds. This part comes in later. After shooting for I don’t know how many hours it is the APO’s duty to "police" the range. Policing the range consists of taking down targets, picking up trash, and, the best part, picking up brass.

The APO’s are not the only people who shoot at the range. Brass is everywhere, including but not limited to the grass. We have dubbed ourselves the "brass monkeys". Our most pain-staking chore is to recover the brass that is buried in the depths of the lawn. This day I think we found brass that had been there since the Civil War. No matter how long we worked on the range we kept finding more brass.

The day ends with the staff checking our janitorial skills. For every piece of brass that is found it’s ten pushups. I really hate this part. After a really bad day on the range, the range staff finding more brass than I thought any one department could have in one place at a time, we pay dearly for everything that is wrong. After one of the range days and getting smoked in the parking lot, we could have easily put words to the "PT" session that go a little something like this (to the melody of If You’re Happy and You Know It), "on your face, on your back, touch the fence…on your face, on your back, lift your feet…when you think you’re done, you’re really not, on your face, on your back, touch the fence."

We ended the week with the United Day of Caring. The class was bused to Locust Grove where we spent the day painting and cleaning at a Boy Scout Camp. It gave the class an opportunity to spend time together away from the academy. Professional painters we are not. By the end of the day we had more paint on us than we did on the walls. To sum it up it really was a great day. We were able to give back to the community and spend much needed time together.

Up until this week we have kept all APO’s that started on Black Monday. This week changed everything. Each evening another APO and I spent our time cleaning guns, pressing uniforms, polishing boots, etc. Wednesday evening something was different. He informed me that the following day he would be resigning. His background is military and that is where he belongs. This was my best friend in the academy so it was hard to say farewell to my "running buddy." TPD really lost someone who would have been a great asset to the Department. He is a natural leader and helped so many of us. Ski you will be missed by all.

The PT session Thursday was one I will never forget. Physically it was grueling but mentally it was a learning experience. The exercise simulated a twelve-minute fight with no break. It was rough, really rough. I was thankful that I did not have to utilize the trashcan at any point. Cpl. Jones really made us see that as challenging as it was we were all capable of fighting much longer than the average fight lasts.

After this week I can only hope the coming weeks get better. The pressure is on and it’s only just begun. Our first big test is in a week and I feel nowhere near prepared enough. I still don’t feel like there are enough hours in the day to complete everything. I can only hope that we don’t give any staff member a reason to come up with lyrics for a new song.

APO Amy Hoehner

Claremore police get dash cams

Claremore police say it saves money and puts more criminals behind bars and now they're equipping all their patrol cars with them.

Last week voters approved dash cams with a penny sales tax extension.

Getting incidents caught on tape reduces alleged abuse lawsuits and can serve as evidence in court.

“These cameras aren’t like the old VHS dash cams of years before”, says Patrol Officer Brian Burnett. 

Now everything is captured on a computer and cops never have to touch a tape.  Burnett says, more often than not, traffic stops escalate into something more serious.  “It turns into they have warrants, or it might lead to a drug arrest or a DUI arrest.”

Copyright KOKI 2007.

New Dodge Charger Police Cars

You will be seeing more of these Dodge police cars patrolling the streets of Tulsa. Field officers are starting to be issued these cars.

Off. Jason White just received his. Here are some photos:

Neighbors notice drop in crime after initiative

By NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writer

9/16/2007

Officers assigned to the Safe City Initiative have arrested 74 people since the crackdown targeting high-crime areas began in late August.

Some Tulsa residents like Ken Bacon said that they are already noticing a difference.

Bacon, who lives near 32nd Street and 101st East Avenue, said there is a noticeable difference in the amount of criminal activity in his area because of the Safe City Initiative, which began in late August.

Criminal activity seemed to overflow from a nearby apartment complex and a bar, Bacon said, and residents in his neighborhood were frequent victims of car and home burglaries.

He would often hear loud music at night and gunfire from the complex, Bacon said. Careless drivers even drove through a complex fence near an area where children had been playing just minutes earlier, he said.

"If they had been there, they would have been killed," he said of the children.

But Safe City officers have been patrolling the area, and the noise and crime levels have subsided, Bacon said.

"The increased presence by the officers is helping. I have to give them all praise for what they are doing," he said.

Bacon said Capt. Matt Kirkland, the task force's supervisor, gave him his card and told him to call anytime -- day or night -- if there was a crime problem, and someone would respond.

"That means a lot to me," said Bacon.

Since the Safe City Initiative started Aug. 26, officers assigned to the unit have made 49 felony arrests and 25 misdemeanor arrests.

They have also seized seven handguns and made numerous drug arrests, most of which involved possession with intent to distribute drugs such as cocaine and marijuana.

"We have a list of individuals whose names keep coming up in relation to violent crime in Tulsa," Kirkland said.

The Safe City officers have also assisted investigators in recent high-profile cases, he said.

They helped homicide detectives in the search for Martinez Williams, who was arrested in the homicide of a man who was shot while working outside his mother's home on Tuesday.

They also have been searching for Jermaine Jeffery, who is charged with the death of a woman whose car was rear-ended by a suspect who was fleeing a shooting Sept. 7, and for Brandon Brown, who is charged with a homicide at a bar late Thursday.

Brown turned himself in on Friday evening.

"Whenever these high-profile violent crimes lend themselves to having a lot of officers out looking for a suspect and tracking someone down, we are ready to just jump right in," Kirkland said.

But because the team's focus is on patrolling areas where crime frequently occurs, they are likely to be nearby when a violent crime occurs.

"Because of past incidents associated with high school games," Kirkland said, Safe City officers were patrolling the area around McLain High School for Science and Technology when shots were fired outside the school after a football game on Aug. 31.

The Safe City officers took one of the suspects into custody, Kirkland said.

Aaron Calvert, security coordinator of Tulsa Housing Authority, said he has noticed a more visible police presence in all parts of the city since the the Safe City Initiative started.

"They look for specific people, and they are turning over every rock, whether it is on our properties or not on our properties," Calvert said.

Another focus of the unit is to crack down on clubs where violent crimes frequently occur or start.

So far this year, at least six of the 50 homicides in Tulsa occurred at clubs or resulted from fights that started at clubs, Kirkland said.

Nicole Marshall 581-8459

nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Information Technology Fights Crime in Oklahoma

Oklahoma law enforcement has a new tool in the fight against crime. The Oklahoma Automated Secure Information Sharing Project, or OASIS, became operational in March 2007. Today, it became fully functional after several months of testing. The information sharing computer portal allows information from participating local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to be shared. The Oklahoma Department of Homeland Security is providing the funding for the development and implementation.

Currently, the Oklahoma City Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security are pooling information from 23 data sources including arrest reports and field information data to be used for analysis in predicting and preventing future criminal acts.

Senior Fall Festival

The Senior Fall Festival will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on September 15, 2007 at McClure Park (7th & Memorial in Tulsa). This Tulsa City-County TRIAD & Volunteers in Police Service event will feature booths with senior care providers ready to answer questions and provide information on their services. There will be free food, live entertainment and equipment demonstrations from the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa Fire Department and EMSA.

This event is a great opportunity for the public to learn about the many agencies available to senior citizens in the area.

New Podcast Describes Tulsa's Latest Crime-Fighting Initiative

"Safe City," a new crime fighting initiative described in detail by the Operation Commander:

http://www.tpdpodcast.com/2007/09/13/new-tulsa-police-crime-fighting-initiative-safe-city/

Murder Victim's Family Thanks Police

KOTV - 9/13/2007 6:00 AM

The family of a man shot and killed this week in Tulsa says the arrest of a murder suspect gives them a sense of closure. The family says they are very grateful to the Tulsa Police officers who brought the shooting suspect into custody Wednesday morning.

The father of Steffan Shlemme says he is taking it all day by day, but he does feel a great sense of relief, now that the man accused of killing his son is behind bars. David Shlemme was there, when his oldest son, Steffan, was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon near 7th and Zurich.

Tulsa Police say a man walked into Shlemme’s yard asking for money. Police say when Steffan would only give the man a few dollars, instead of all of his money, Steffan Shlemme was shot twice. David Shlemme says Tulsa Police seemed to take the crime personally and let them know what was happening, every step of the way, when the suspect was first identified, surrounded and finally arrested.

David Shlemme says police called him right before the arrest and he drove over to the scene.

"And one of the officers who was so good at helping me here recognized me and he said, 'hey David we got him.' What more, ya know. It's a relief and there's a wonderful closure to it. But it's hard to put it all together, because it's so new and so fresh," says David Shlemme.

Shlemme has nothing but high praise for Tulsa Police and how they have handled this case.

Funeral services for Steffan Shlemme are scheduled for Monday in Tulsa.

Copyright KOTV 2007.

Officer Coalition Meets With New Police Chief

KOTV - 9/13/2007

Tulsa’s new Tulsa Police Chief Ron Palmer has met with a group opposed to his appointment. The Black Officer's Coalition spent two hours with Palmer on Wednesday voicing its concerns.

An anti-Palmer rally was held last weekend in north Tulsa. In addition, two Tulsa city councilors also object to Palmer's appointment saying he has a history of discriminating against black officers.

The Black Officer's Coalition would not discuss specifics of the meeting, but did say it was productive.

"We have indicated that we have issues, so what we're trying to do is give him the opportunity to air what he feels he wants to do, how he's going to approach those concerns that we've voiced," said Walter Busby with the Black Officers Coalition.

Police Chief Ron Palmer also says the meeting was productive. Palmer says he plans on meeting with the group every two weeks or so.

Copyright KOTV 2007.

Getting a firsthand look at Tulsa police's effort to make city safer

By Larry Levy

State Correspondent

TULSA — This night, the goal was to arrest two wanted men and try to prevent a robbery by making an arrest before known suspects reached their intended target.

That was part of the briefing Cpls. Mike Fitzgerald and Quentin Houck of the Tulsa Police Department gave to a team of officers — members of street crimes units and a federal agent — one night last week as the new Safe City Initiative got under way.

The officers broke into two groups, but none were in full police uniforms. Some were in plain clothes.

There was a mix of regular police cars and unmarked units. Before the night was over, Fitzgerald would call for a K-9 unit and the helicopter — Police One.

Best laid plans

Barely on the road, they learned a woman had been stabbed and was going to the hospital. The supposed attacker, wearing blue trousers and a blue shirt, was reported to have a gun and was fleeing toward downtown.

These kinds of situations take precedence, Fitzgerald said, turning on the lights and sirens to join the chase. Other officers radioed the supposed attacker's location, which changed from one street to another.

Officers on regular patrol stopped him. The 19-year-old had neither a knife nor a gun. It was determined he was not involved and he was quickly released. The victim did not show up at a hospital and was never found.

Back to business

Officers' first order of business was to make the arrests based on the warrants.

Officer William Jenkins and Agent J. Petree of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms swooped up Johnny Lee Morrison, 34, arrested on a drug possession complaint.

Meanwhile, Fitzgerald and his squad gathered in a nearby parking lot with a K-9 unit and Police One overhead. Two officers in an unmarked unit checked a suspect's house, but apparently, they had received bad information. The house was vacant and for sale.

Now it was time, Fitzgerald said, to concentrate on the prospective armed robbery suspects. The location of one suspect and the make of his car was known. An unmarked car took up position as other units moved close enough to move in quickly if needed, but far enough away not to spook any of the participants.

Several people got in the car and it drove away, tailed by the unmarked car. It was the right make and color of car from the right area, but the tag showed a different number. Marked cars moved into position and stopped it.

Wrong occupants: a pastor and two companions on the way to church.

It was back to square one. Another car that matched the description was spotted. Unmarked cars alternated on the trail, while marked units stayed far enough away not to give away the game, but close enough to provide support.

‘Driving squirrelly'

The car was lost in a maze of streets and entry ramps near downtown Tulsa, but rediscovered a short time later.

The game was on again. The vehicle toured the city, traveling north and south some 12 miles and five miles east to west, but never in a straight line.

"They are driving squirrelly," radioed Linda Hanna as they looped back and forth.

Fitzgerald said it appeared the occupants were trying to determine whether they were being followed. But the occupants never took any other suspicious action, and Fitzgerald eventually called off the chase as Hanna saw a similar vehicle driving erratically.

Fitzgerald ordered it stopped. Turning on lights and siren, he headed toward the stop on the Broken Arrow Expressway at 100 miles an hour — much faster than that night's previous emergency runs on city streets.

Three people were in the car. A Xanax pill was found on the back seat along with several two-way radios.

The pill set in motion a full search. Some 28 pills were found, most mixed up in a box of detergent.

The driver — Jessica Vinson, 30 — said they belonged to her mother, who had a prescription. Besides the traffic complaint, she also was jailed on complaints of possessing drugs and having no driver's license.

She was booked into the Tulsa County jail about six hours after she had been released on earlier complaints of public intoxication, no driver's license and possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction.

Demarco D. Metoyer, 18, who was riding in the back seat, was jailed on a drug possession complaint and later charged with receiving stolen property.

The third occupant of the car was Bridgette Bailey, 19, who was riding in the front seat.

She was allowed to go home, because there were no drugs near her in the car. The vehicle was towed away.

While the night did not bring all the arrests sought, Fitzgerald said it wasn't a complete waste.

Copyright Daily Oklahoman 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Luckily…

Every year, Tulsa police officers renew their assignments. That is, we "bid" for which side of town and which shift we work, and which days off we have. It’s based upon seniority. So, the longer you’ve been on the department, the more likely you can choose to work the day shift and have Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays off. If you’re fresh out of the academy, the more likely you’ll have little choice but to work the graveyard shift and call Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday your new "weekend."

For dozens of reasons (mostly personal), I chose to work graveyards in a different side of town. Yes, Tuesday is my new "Friday" and Thursday is my new "Sunday" of sorts. The last couple of weeks have been a period of adjustment. Getting familiar with a new "designator"—before I was Lincoln-three-thirty-two (L332), now, I’m Edward-one-thirty-four (E134). It’s the same game in a different ballpark. And it takes some time to learn new streets, alleys, "bad" neighborhoods and trouble spots, and putting names with new faces both on the street and in the squad room.

Perhaps the biggest change for me, is that my former squad mate (Ogre) and I, now work opposite sides of town. For a year, we were twins of sorts. On the street, we were known as "Big Ugly" (AKA "Big Hungry") and "Little Ugly" Sure, he’s a foot taller, a hundred pounds heavier, and eats 8-10 pounds of food (per meal) more than I do, but we were practically each other’s shadow and nearly inseparable. No, not out of weird attraction for each other, as a year of jokes from other officers can attest, but because we were both eager to learn as much as we could, chase the baddest, ugliest criminals we could find, and make as many arrests as we could. We tried to be as non-stop, gung-ho as we were capable. It cost us many late nights (and consequent spousal tirades), all sorts of ridicule and rumors from our fellow officers, and dozens of complaints from citizens and officers alike. But as long as we put the felons in jail and our sergeant was satisfied, we gladly paid the price.

After a year, we had developed our own intuitive way of doing things. If Ogre drove one way, I circled around the other. If his car slowed for a moment, I knew we were gonna roll up on someone. If he paused for a second, at a certain moment during a car stop, I knew I’d be searching a car. We had developed our own style and rhythm. Our own cop jazz. One of my training officers told me a long time ago, that everything in police work has a "rhythm" to it. Now, I know what he was talking about, not just theoretically, but practically speaking.

So after a year of hiding behind garbage dumpsters, sneaking up on criminals, and knowing I could absolutely and undoubtedly trust the other person in uniform next to me, I’m suddenly starting all over again by myself.

Successful Fundraiser for Special Olympics

Here are some photos from the fundraising event for Special Olympics:

Units are part of statewide response

By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer

9/9/2007

Tulsa and Oklahoma City each received $900,000 in homeland security money in 2003 and two grants each for $300,000 and $500,000 in 2004 for their respective urban search and rescue teams.

The trucks and the accompanying pickups and equipment are part of the state's regional response system, which includes response units with differing levels of search and rescue capability, said Brook Borden, public information officer for the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security.

The units are placed strategically across the state to provide some response capability to disasters within a 1-1/2-hour range, she said.

Oklahoma City's new storage facility has four bays for homeland security equipment, five bays for normal fire operations and one bay for the Oklahoma City Police Department's Bomb Squad assets. It also houses the city's public works emergency response team, said Larry Hansen, the Oklahoma City Fire Department's battalion chief of operations.

Lance Musgrave, the business manager for the Oklahoma City Fire Department, said the facility "is very important. It allows us to keep better inventory and keep all of our equipment together."

Also, "when we have a deployment, that will be a central point to meet," he said.

Capt. R.B. Ellis, the technical rescue coordinator for the Tulsa Fire Department and the Oklahoma Task Force 1 program's manager, said deployment of the USAR Team is not like a normal fire run.

Rather, once a call is received, team members meet at a central location, undergo medical evaluations, receive their gear and are briefed on the situation. The USAR vehicles are then lined up and must travel to the disaster location in a specified order, Ellis said. The deployment process takes 1-1/2 to two hours.

Ellis said Tulsa's planned facility will include an operations center and a base of operations for the Tulsa Police Department's homeland security officers, as well as storage for the USAR equipment.

In late June, Tulsa's USAR Team was deployed to Coffeyville, Kan., to assist with security and conduct house-to-house searches for people stranded by flooding.

The one-day deployment -- the team's first with the new tractor-trailer rig -- was largely a success and was a good real-life learning experience for the USAR Team members, said Dennis Beyer, the Tulsa Fire Department's chief of homeland security.

Not having the new facility available immediately won't keep the Tulsa Fire Department from having a strong response to disaster, Ellis said.

"I think we'll be OK here for a while," he said. "Not having a new facility is not going to hamper our progress."

By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Safe City Initiative Already A Success

KOTV - 9/5/2007

Tulsa police are working to make the city a safer place to live. The police department's newest effort to cut down on violent crime is called the Safe City Initiative. It's been in effect for one week and officers say it's working even better than they'd hoped. News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports in the first week of the Safe City Initiative police have made 32 arrests, 22 of them were for violent crimes.

You might remember Bullet Trap from last spring, that task force targeted violent people, mostly gang members. This plan, Safe City, targets violent areas of town.

Amanda Swigart, an ex-con, was arrested for having nine grams of cocaine in the presence of minors. Jorge Colton, Junior, was arrested after buying 20 Lortab pain killers in a parking lot. Tywan Erby, an ex-con, was arrested for having a gun and pointing it at someone. These were just three arrests made by the officers working Tulsa's Safe City Initiative task force in one night. It's an intelligence driven approach, find the neighborhoods where the most violent crime happens and shut it down.

"Every day, I'm hearing from citizens, by phone, by email, who say this is our problem, help us," said Tulsa Police Major Daryl Webster. "Citizens are doing their part; they're keeping their eyes open, now it's up to us to respond."

Safe City was Major Webster's brainchild and was announced last week. He says having the team under one command is more effective than trying to have teams from each division working separately. But as crime changes so does policing.

"We'll evaluate this every month to see how we need to change it, tweak it," Webster said. "What we've tried to do is structure something so even if we discontinue the formal approach, the basic concept still remains."

Reducing homicides is tough since there's not one common thread that runs through them, however, police say there are common threads within violent crimes, so you tackle those, you can stop a lot of violence.

"If you arrest dope dealers and people who carry illegal firearms, then you are going to arrest somebody that would've committed a violent crime," said Major Webster.

There is no deadline for the Safe City Initiative. Police expect it to last at least through the end of the year.

Police say a city the size of Tulsa will always have some violent crime, but they say the public's perception of violent crime is worse than the crime itself. They say our violent crime rate is actually down this year and was last year as well.

Copyright KOTV 2007.

Educational requirements for joining the Tulsa Police Department

Public Information Officer Jason Willingham interviews Captain Travis Yates about the education requirements to join TPD, how an officer with a college degree benefits the public, and how the Tulsa Police Department supports their officers in receiving education after joining the department.

Please click on this link to listen:

http://www.tpdpodcast.com/2007/09/06/education-requirements-tpd-talks-6/

New chief's ouster demanded

By BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer

9/7/2007

Two councilors cite alleged racial bias during Palmer's previous tenure.

City Councilors Jack Henderson and Roscoe Turner called on the mayor Thursday to remove Police Chief Ron Palmer from duty only days after he took the job.

"I can't believe the mayor conducted an external search to find the best candidate and that's who she came up with," Henderson said during a news conference.

The two councilors, who walked out during Mayor Kathy Taylor's announcement of Palmer's selection last week, said it is essential for their north Tulsa districts that someone else be chosen.

Palmer, who was chief from 1992 to 2002, was sworn in Tuesday for a second time. He said he was surprised by the quick call for his removal.

"I have already met with and will continue to reach out to leaders in the black community," he said.

Under Palmer's previous watch, a racial discrimination suit was filed against the city by some black police officers.

That ultimately led to a federal consent decree that requires ongoing monitoring.

"We specifically asked the mayor to find a chief who would be for the whole city, not just one side of it, and she promised to do that," Henderson said. "On behalf of our constituents, we are outraged."

Taylor urged Henderson and Turner to give Palmer a chance.

"Chief Palmer and I have had extensive discussions about my vision, which includes a goal that Councilors Henderson and Turner share, and that is to make our community -- neighborhood by neighborhood -- safer," she said.

Palmer's previous tenure saw the city reach its lowest crime rate in 20 years, the mayor pointed out.

Taylor said she wants the city to move forward.

"That's what I'm prepared to do, and that's what I hope they are prepared to do," she said. "It's not only the best thing for north Tulsa. It's the best thing for our entire city."

But Henderson said Palmer will "set back race relations in the city by 50 years."

Turner quoted William Shakespeare in saying, "Don't trust the person that has broken faith once."

Palmer said he realizes that the consent decree that went into effect after he left might have been able to "do good things."

"It is what I have to work under at this point, and I have every intention of complying, not only in the letter of the consent decree, but in the spirit of it, as well," he said.

Although the lawsuit was filed on his watch, Palmer said, "there were trappings of it before I joined the department and after I was gone."

"So, no, I don't feel responsible for it," he said. "My record speaks for itself. Very positive things happened during the decade I was chief.

"But some things weren't ironed out. I was never really able to get where I wanted to be with race relations in the city. I want us all to try to get there together."

Henderson said he thinks Palmer didn't treat the north Tulsa community fairly.

"In my opinion, he had an air about him that our community didn't matter," said Henderson, who was the local president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People during Palmer's first tenure.

"He tried to judge the actions of a few and label the whole community as lost."

But Palmer said the city has to come together.

"We have to put aside what neighborhood we live in or what side of town we live in and attack the serious crime issues we are facing," he said.

Palmer said the early criticism doesn't make him regret taking the job.

"I'm thick-skinned," he said. "I can take it."

The two councilors are hosting a rally from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the former Albertson's store at 1601 N. Peoria Ave. to show their opposition to Palmer.

It is also a rally against the proposed Tulsa County river tax, which they said would not benefit their constituents.

"We are standing up and saying 'No' for the citizens of north Tulsa," Henderson said.

Brian Barber 581-8322

brian.barber@tulsaworld.com

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Black officers lawsuit: City says it's complying with terms

By DAVID HARPER World Staff Writer

9/6/2007

An independent monitor says it's not apparent that racial bias caused a disparity in arrests.

An independent monitor acknowledged last year that racial disparity exists in Tulsa police arrests and use of force -- but he wrote that "it is not apparent to me that this disparity is a result of racial profiling or . . . bias within the Department," according to a recent court filing.

The comment by John A. Gaberino Jr., the independent auditor who is monitoring whether the city is complying with the terms of the settlement of a police racial discrimination lawsuit, came in a June 8, 2006, letter to both parties in the lawsuit.

An excerpt of the letter was made public when it was included in documents filed electronically Tuesday evening in federal court in Tulsa by attorney Joel Wohlgemuth, who is representing the city in the case.

In the filing, the city of Tulsa disputes the plaintiffs' contention that it is not complying with the terms of the settlement.

Chief Palmer calls for a press conference...

Chief Palmer will respond to the remarks made by Councilor Henderson and Councilor Turner at a press conference at 3:30 P.M. today in the Chiefs Conference room located on the 3rd floor of the Municipal Courts Building.

Public Relations,

Off. Jason Willingham

Councilors call for new police chief's removal

By Staff Reports

9/6/2007 10:40 AM

Tulsa city councilors Jack Henderson and Roscoe Turner are calling on the mayor to remove Police Chief Ron Palmer from duty and to choose another chief.

Henderson at a Thursday morning press conference said Palmer’s service "would set back race relations in the city by 50 years."

Mayor Kathy Taylor did not have an immediate response and Palmer was not available for comment.

Palmer was on the job Tuesday after being selected by Taylor last week.

He previously served as Tulsa’s chief from 1992 to 2002, during which the city was sued for discrimination by a group of black officers.

That ultimately led to a federal consent decree that requires continued monitoring and training.

The two councilors, who represent north Tulsa, will host a rally from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the former Albertsons, 1601 N. Peoria Ave., in opposition of Palmer.

By Staff Reports

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Nor-mull

Most of us try to rationalize things in a normal way. That makes good sense for normal situations, but doesn’t help much otherwise. Normal thinking will never make sense of abnormal things.

For example, the other night I was creeping around and spotted a car driving erratically through an intersection. I sped up to it and checked the license tag on the car. Stolen. The driver then sped across the intersection in the middle of traffic, trying to dodge me, I guess. But luckily, sometimes people heed the bright lights and blaring siren of a police car and stopped to let me chase after the car.

About a block away, the car pulls over to the left. I’m already anticipating the door-open, jump-and-run, bailout maneuver that most experienced criminals and car thieves have down pat. The door swings open…

I’m already out of my car and running toward the open door. Then everything seems to warp in time. The driver was sooooo stoned from smoking weed and lethargic, that he made "reverse" look like blistering fast-forward. He was completely dazed. He looked dazedly down at this pants pocket, as if he wanted to get something from it. But since it took him about a minute to stand up, I figured it would be tomorrow morning sometime by the time he did. So, I just watched from a safe distance as the driver stood there in a Cheech and Chong stupor attempting his "escape."

After a long 15 seconds, I was growing bored (watching grass grow is way more action-packed), so I grabbed the driver and slapped handcuffs on him. He slumped over from being so stoned, so I had to prop him up against the car. In his pocket, I found a loaded pistol with the serial numbers scratched off. He said he needed it ‘cuz he was "in it wit some Hoovers" (i.e., he had some discrepancies and divergences with associates of the Hoover Crips gang).

OK, the facts aren’t so weird or out of the ordinary: a stoned gang member with a gun in a stolen car. Not really a big deal. However, our super-fly-stoned-coupe-thievin’-gunslinger was only 13. Yup, he was one calendar from the discount bin older than 12. Perhaps even a bit more puzzling and perplexing, he had already been arrested for burglary, robbery, drugs, stealing cars, etc.

So, here’s the part where most "normal" folk try to make normal sense of this circumstances. Questions and proclamations such as "Where are the parents?" "How come he didn’t stay in jail before?" "We need tougher juvenile laws…" "What can we do to stop this?" typically mire such conversations.

But the truth of it is, seeking normal answers to normal questions about abnormal people and circumstances doesn’t work. Sometimes, things are just messed up because they’re just messed up. There’s no soul searching, ethical avenging, legislative lobbying, or "letters to the editor" that will make any substantial difference. The train has left the station, the ship has already set sail (and for the most part, has already sank). But an abundance of transportation/calamity metaphors ain’t gonna help either.

One can hope that he’ll get "reform" until he’s 18 (or longer) and that he’ll somehow miraculously get turned around. But that won’t happen. This is one of those instances and circumstances when you just give in or give up. It’s the talk of a jaded tongue, I know. Unfortunately, there’s not much else to say.

Off. Jay Chiarito-Mazzarella

Cops give a hole lot of support

By Staff Reports

9/5/2007

It will be easy to spot cops at your favorite doughnut shop this weekend.

Officers from the Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma Highway Patrol will be on the roof of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, 10128 E. 71st St., from 7 a.m. to noon Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The officers will be dropping a collection bucket from the roof to raise money for Special Olympics Oklahoma. Donations will be accepted throughout the weekend.

Kids also are invited to talk to the officers and look at the police cars and bomb squad trucks.

Officers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City have set a goal of $30,000 for Special Olympics.

By Staff Reports

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Officers stop suicide attempt

By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer

9/5/2007

A fire captain's quick action keeps a woman from jumping from a high-rise.

A woman who threatened to commit suicide by jumping from a downtown high-rise was saved by emergency personnel Tuesday.

The woman entered an office building in the 600 block of South Boston Avenue about 2 p.m., climbed out a window onto a fire escape near the eighth floor, and was threatening to jump, Officer Jason Willingham said.

Police and firefighters were called, and one firefighter put a cell phone where the woman could reach it, Fire Capt. Larry Bowles said.

When the woman picked up the phone, Bowles spoke with her briefly before asking whether he could talk with her face to face. She agreed, he said.

Bowles climbed onto the fire escape and spoke with the woman until he was able to grab her in what he called "a very quick hug."

With the help of police officers, he was able to pull her inside.

The woman was taken to the Tulsa Center for Behavioral Health for an evaluation, Willingham said.

"We've all been in a mindset of desperation," Bowles said. "There was a lot of events that mounted up in her life in one day."

Both Bowles and Willingham said they were pleased that the ordeal ended with no injuries.

"It's a testament to the Fire Department and a testament to Capt. Bowles," Willingham said. "He's an outstanding individual."

Bowles said simply that "we're very thankful when things turn out this way."

Clifton Adcock 581-8367

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Triumph and Tragedy

The past two weeks have been a complete blur. The time has gone by faster than I could have ever imagined. I hurt in more places than I ever thought existed. More importantly I have learned so much about my classmates, their families, and really about myself.

During the second week of the academy we were bombarded with law, Federal, State, and City. Mr. Phil Cozzoni is Tulsa Police Department’s legal advisor and is also our instructor for the legal block. Mr. Cozzoni is truly a professional and very deserving of the credit the Department gives him. We started with Federal Law and worked our way down through State and City. After the basics were covered it was on to the meat of our instruction, and for that matter the rest of our careers, Search and Seizure.

Mr. Cozzoni teaches in such a way that you have to think about what he is teaching. When you ask a question it is in your best interest to at least have some sort of answer ready for him. More than likely when you ask your question he will reply with, "What do you think?" Overall I really enjoyed this block of the academy. It is a lot of classroom time yet if you don’t understand and know the law how can you enforce the law.

In between the portions of Mr. Cozzoni’s instruction, Officer Ralston and Officer Stege taught City Ordinance. So keep in mind not only do we have to know Federal and State Laws we also have to be well versed on the City of Tulsa Traffic and Criminal Code. Keep in mind that we have to enforce these laws within the scope of our policy so it is also imperative that we know TPD Policy and Procedure too. And the academy has just begun.

The second Friday was physically the hardest session of physical training (PT) thus far (ok, for me). PT consisted of sprinting 400 meters there and back, running in the gym completing 15 pushups properly, 15 cling/swings with a 25 or 45 pound hand weight, and finishing with 15 pull-ups. Wishful thinking you only had to do this once. The class separated into teams and we did it four times total. The next day my arms did not move past a 90° angle and they remained that way through Monday. If you want a work out like that, try Crossfit, it will get you there.

City Hall's move not likely soon

By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer

9/3/2007

The necessary paperwork is being completed to meet the Sept. 10 closing date on the purchase of One Technology Center, which will be converted into the new City Hall.

The actual move, however, is unlikely to start until next year because of the time needed to sell bonds that will fund minor renovations required within the building, officials said.

The city can't spend the money it hasn't encumbered yet for projects ranging from converting space into a City Council chamber to installing a new security system, Economic Development Director Don Himelfarb said.

"We can't turn a screw or hammer a nail until the bonds are sold," he said. "We can't move until the renovation stuff is done."

The city's closing date actually deals with the seller's financing on the $52.25 million purchase price on the high-tech, 15-story glass building at 100 S. Cincinnati Ave., Himelfarb said.

That amount will be paid when the city issues $76 million in revenue bonds. The remaining bond money will fund relocation costs, bonding costs, demolition of some vacated city structures, security and consultant fees.

Finance Director Mike Kier, citing the currently unsettled credit market, said it would be better for the city to wait to offer the bonds to see whether the market will improve.

The Tulsa Police Department and Other Agencies Will Conduct A Mock Disaster Exercise.

September 4, 2007

TPD, TFD, EMSA and TAEMA personnel will take part in a mock disaster exercise along with the Oklahoma National Guard's 63rd WMD Civil Support Team (CST) on Tuesday, September 4, 2007 from 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. The exercise will test the interaction of local responders with the military in the event of a disaster or possible terrorist event.

The exercise will be held at the Tulsa Police Department's Training Division, located at 6066 E. 66 St. N. Several other emergency response agencies from Tulsa County are also expected to participate in the exercise.

Police Cadets Approve Of Their New Chief

KOTV - 8/29/2007

Tulsa’s new police chief, Ron Palmer, inherits a department some in the community consider under-staffed. The first academy class of the chief's new term is already in session. News On 6 anchor Terry Hood reports many officers remember serving under Chief Palmer, but Palmer's second go-around begins with 24 new cadets.

"In the academy they're throwing different stuff at us each day, which is the same thing we're gonna get in the real world, you don't know what to expect," said Tulsa Police recruit Flossie Stephens.

Cadets like Flossie Stephens say it's good to know their new chief already knows them.

"He was the previous chief, he already knows the job, he knows what to expect," Stephens said.

"My whole family's in law enforcement so I've been around it, and I've heard he's a great chief and I'm just looking forward to it," said new TPD recruit Charles Ramsey.

Cadet Ramsey says it helps that the new chief knows the responsibility of walking the straight and narrow.

"You want a guy that's been around a while, he knows how things are done, he knows the proper procedures and he really looks out of the officers' interests. That's number one thing," Ramsey said.

"They may not see it, but they can definitely feel it, so having a good chief is very important," said Tulsa Police Corporal Dallas Jones.

Corporal Dallas Jones served under Chief Palmer before. He says individual officers, like the new recruits, will feel the impact of the new chief's leadership.

"I'm glad to have him back," said Jones. "He's one of us, he’s been here, he knows our policies, our procedures, he's familiar with 'em, our regulations, and so it'll be a smooth transition and I think it'll be good for the department."

As the new cadets continue their training, they say they approve of the city's next top cop.

"It's definitely good to hear a familiar name called," Ramsey said. "It's good to know that we've got a chief coming in that can do a great job."

This class of cadets is scheduled to graduate in January.

Copyright KOTV 2007.

City's returning police chief ready to roll

By NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writer

9/2/2007

Tulsa World asked newly hired Police Chief Ron Palmer, who served as chief here from 1992 through 2002 before retiring and working in private security consulting, about three high-priority issues facing the department.

Issue: reducing crime in the city

One of the top priorities for Tulsans is reducing violent crime in all areas of the city.

Palmer plans to draw from his newly acquired business skills and experience with private security when he returns as Tulsa's top cop with ambitious goals to reduce crime.

But as in his first tour of duty as chief, he also intends to use technology, including programs based on computerized analysis of crime, to maximize the department's resources.

''First, you have to understand the crime problems you face," he said. "Second, you have to direct the resources you want to hit those crime problems head-on.

''And, lastly, if you have a better understanding of the entirety of the city and where that crime might be displaced after you hit it, . . . you can work as a team with a lot of input from citizens and do better, and the crime stats will come down.''

Palmer also plans to draw from his experience as chief in 2000, when Tulsa saw the lowest crime rate in 20 years.

''I look back at 2000 and try to say, 'Well, what was actually happening good there?' And it was a whole combination of things. We had a really good level of staffing at that point.

''We seemed to be filing a lot of cases in both state and federal court, putting a lot of bad people in jail for a long time and using federal statutes to put them away, which reduced the gang violence dramatically, as I recall.

''There were two or three universes coming together as one, creating this really good dynamic to make the crime stats go down.''

Palmer said he believes that the method of creating that perfect crime-fighting environment is to ''make sure all the players are on board.

''When I say 'all the players,' the community is part of that, as well. It is my belief that the citizens will only tolerate so much crime. They have a comfort level of crime, and anything that rises above that, then there is an outcry either to the police, city administration -- somebody -- that there is too much crime.''

Palmer: Mayor's offer was a shock

By NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writer

9/2/2007

When Ron Palmer returns as Tulsa police chief this week -- five years after he retired from the post -- he faces many new challenges and some old ones.

"Not too many people get a second chance," Palmer said. "My intention is to just do it better this time."

Mayor Kathy Taylor offered him the job about three days before she announced the appointment, he said.

"Actually, Mayor Taylor called me a couple weeks before that and talked to me about what I thought she should look for -- not what she should do, but what she should look for in the police chief.

"I told her, 'I think at this point that you have to have somebody who can unify the department, somebody who can make an impact, be visible in the community and have somebody who is the chief to everybody,' and I left it at that.

"And I said, 'To find that person, mayor, you are going to have to look pretty hard.' "

When Taylor called him back and offered him the job, "it was a complete surprise," he said.

Palmer said he had never considered going back to his former position until Taylor asked him to. So he asked her, "Why would you want me to do this?"

"Her answers were really pretty good," Palmer said. "She had done her homework regarding what I had done during my previous tenure, and she was looking for some of those same attributes in the new police chief.

"For her, it turned out to be a match. For me, it was an honor to be asked, and it is going to be a privilege to serve again."

Nicole Marshall 581-8459

nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.

Police launch new effort against violent crime

By NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writer

8/31/2007

Tulsa police announced a new crackdown on violent crime Thursday that dedicates a team of officers to focus on crime hot spots citywide.

The new Safe City Initiative started Sunday as an outgrowth of Operation Bullet Trap, which targeted gang violence for the past 15 months, said Deputy Chief Mark McCrory.

Through mid-year, violent crime is down overall in Tulsa, but community groups and businesses have told police that pockets of the city still