TPD Blog

Some officers serve, protect for free

By DAVID SCHULTE World Staff Writer
10/31/2008

 

Jay Ketron (center), a reserve police officer with the Tulsa Police Department, helps Officer John Martin investigate a traffic accident Thursday evening. Ketron also works as a salesman in the oil and gas industry. Shane Bevel/Tulsa World
 

More than 40 volunteer reserves help the police.

They are perhaps the best bargain in Tulsa.

Despite receiving no salary, they are willing to carry guns and put on uniforms equipped with bulletproof vests to serve and protect the public.

They are reserve police officers, whose duties range from providing security at special events to backing up full-time officers on violent crimes.

"It's a hobby, but to me it's so much more than that, because with most hobbies, you don't put yourself in harm's way," said Gary Gleason, an infrastructure manager who has been a reserve officer about four years.

More than 40 people serve as reserve officers in the Tulsa Police Department, which is seeking applicants for new reserves. A state-certified reserve academy will be offered two nights a week for five months starting in January.

Three years ago, John Fitzpatrick, the president and CEO of a company in the health-care industry, decided to become a reserve officer because he got tired of hearing people gripe about "all the crime" in Tulsa.

"Instead of talking about it, I wanted to do something about it," he said.

Early in his field training, Fitzpatrick learned that he has what it takes to be a cop.

Fitzpatrick was responding as a backup officer to a robbery attempt at an apartment complex, he said.

He was assisting with the investigation when the robbers came back to "finish the job" by opening fire on the victims.

"They shot at us, and then the shooter jumped into a car and drove at the police car," Fitzpatrick said.

His quick response in protecting the victims not only helped save their lives, but it convinced him he was qualified to wear a badge.

"I always wondered what I would do in a situation like that — whether I would cut and run," Fitzpatrick said. "But all the training kicked in, and all of a sudden a gun appeared in my hand."

Jay Ketron, a salesman in the oil and gas industry, has been a reserve officer for 20 years. During that time, he has drawn his gun many times.

He also has been assaulted about a dozen times, he said.

Call it a hobby, but "the threat of injury and death for a reserve officer is exactly the same as a full-time officer," Ketron said.

At first, Ketron joined the police reserves because of the thrill of playing "cops and robbers."

But through the years, he said, his reasons for staying have changed.

"In the beginning, it may be the excitement — the adrenaline — but as you put more time in, you see as a reserve officer you can truly help, in a very large way, the police department and the city of Tulsa," he said.

Reserve officers often have other jobs that pay the bills, with occupations ranging from stock broker to professor to small-business owner.

Joe Hidy, a bank president, became a reserve officer shortly after doing a police ride-along with an officer.

"Police officers are honest people," Hidy said. "They don't lie to you, and, most of all, they're willing to take a bullet for you."

Because many reserve officers have successful careers and earn good salaries in their fields, they find it difficult to quit their regular jobs to work as full-time officers.

But that was not the case for Maj. Julie Harris, who is now the Tulsa Police Department's highest-ranking female officer.

She started as a reserve officer, but within two years she quit her regular job to become a full-time officer, even though it meant earning less money.

Harris, who is just 5 feet tall, initially questioned whether she was big enough for a career in law enforcement, but her experience as a reserve officer convinced her that she was qualified.

"It's not your size but how you can talk to people, and with the (reserve) academy, they give you the skills to do the work," Harris said. "The training that you get from the department exceeds the training that you get in many agencies in the state."

David Schulte 581-8367
david.schulte@tulsaworld.com

Copyright Tulsa World 2008. All rights reserved. Format differs from original publication.

 

The Tulsa Police Reserve is recruiting, follow this link:

http://tpdblog.typepad.com/tpdblog/2008/10/tulsa-police-reserve-recruiting.html

Plan to Stem Drop in Street Ratings

By BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer
10/5/2008

If Tulsa voters approve the $451.6 million streets package Nov. 4, it would dedicate more money to fix the city's cracked and crumbling infrastructure than nearly the last six local initiatives combined.

Of the total, $413.7 million would go toward repairing existing streets, compared with the $423.2 million included in all of the last three bond packages and the last three third-penny programs.

"It does show a commitment," said Paul Zachary, Public Works Department deputy director of engineering, noting that the funding would put a significant dent in the nearly $1 billion backlog of work.

The balance of the cost would go to other city transportation needs, including bridges, sidewalks, trails and railroad crossings.

In all, the package includes 10 intersection projects, 31 arterial street projects and 79 nonarterial projects amounting to about $367 million, with an additional $47 million for routine and preventive maintenance across the city.

Eighty-two percent of the work would be done in asphalt and 18 percent would be in concrete, based on what the street is already constructed with.

No money is included for widening, with city leaders deciding the focus needs to be on existing infrastructure.

The projects in the package were identified by a specialized computer program, the Pavement Management System, developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, that calculates how resources should be distributed to achieve the optimum pavement condition results.

Zachary calls it "an arm's-length analysis" that is removed from politics.

Once the list is generated, Public Works officials go out and eyeball the streets to make sure they make sense for the program.

"It's got to be a balanced approach," he said. "We're going to be working on the worst roads, but we're also going to be working on the good roads to make sure they don't fall into disrepair."

Not all streets would receive the same level of work, he said. Some would be rehabilitated, while others would be completely reconstructed.

Projects in the package, if approved, would start as early as next summer.

By the end of the five-year program, the city's average arterial score on the Pavement Condition Index would go from a 60 to a 62 and the average nonresidential score would go from 58 to 60.

While that's only a two-point increase, city leaders say if no additional money is spent on streets than what is already allocated, the arterial average will plummet to a 53 and the nonarterial average will drop to 54.

Mayor Kathy Taylor and other elected officials are touting this program as the first step toward achieving a 70 score in both areas. That goal is expected to take about 15 years and subsequent tax programs to achieve.

The campaign behind the streets package on Sunday will launch a Web site — fixourstreetslive.com — that will feature an interactive map with the details and costs of the projects.

Sheryl Lovelady, one of the campaign coordinators, said the public expects to have access to as much information as possible before making a decision.

"When it comes to government this goes to accountability and transparency," she said. "We want people to know exactly what's planned."

When voters have the ballot in front of them, they will be faced with two street propositions: one for the sales tax portion of the funding and one for the property tax portion.

Both have to pass for the program to move forward.

Last week, Tulsa's police union officially endorsed the package. It had been against the 12-year, $2 billion proposal that also was considered.

"Safe streets are an important part of any city's overall approach to public safety," said Steve Dickson, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 93 president.

"We have to do it the right way, balancing the need to address Tulsa's long-standing street problems with a reasonable approach to funding those repairs."

Plan highlights

Vote: Nov. 4

On the ballot: Two propositions—one for the sales tax portion of the funding and one for the property tax portion.

Cost: $451.628 million

Length: Fiscal Year 2010 to 2014

Goal: Raise the city’s average Pavement Condition Index arterial score from 60 to 62 and the residential score from 58 to 60.

Components: Street rehabilitation and reconstruction, bridges, sidewalks, trails and railroad crossings.

Funding: Extending the third-penny program two years, capturing the city’s share of Tulsa County’s Four to Fix 0.167 cent sales tax when it expires and passing a $285 million general obligation bond program.

Taxpayer impact: Sales tax rate remains the same and property taxes see a maximum increase of $63 annually for a $100,000 home. Taxes would expire at the end

Brian Barber 581-8322
brian.barber@tulsaworld.com

Copyright Tulsa World 2008. All rights reserved. Format differs from original publication.

United Rotocraft Solutions Delivers Customized Bell 206 to Tulsa Police Department

Wednesday, October 01, 2008 / United Rotorcraft Solutions
 
United Rotorcraft Solutions (URS) recently delivered a new customized Bell 206L4 LongRanger to the Tulsa Police Department.

URS completed the helicopter with the equipment Tulsa PD requires to meet their mission. Some of the specific equipment included the FLIR Ultra 8500, Spectrolab SX-16 Searchlight, SLASS System, Paravion Diamond Back Monitors, Avalex Digital Recorder, the Meta-Map System and the Onboard Systems Cargo Hook.

The avionics and communications suite incorporated the Garmin Com/NAV/GPS, NAT FM transceiver and audio panels and the MACOM 800MHz tactical radio. Air conditioning, bleed air heat, engine oil filter and the inlet barrier filter were also installed. URS finished the 206 with the Police Department’s customized exterior paint scheme.

Tulsa PD will use the new helicopter to enhance their current fleet for support of field units and search and rescue.

Bell Helicopter representatives, Steve Reyna and Greg Arnold, were on hand to join in the delivery and extend their continued support to Tulsa.

“It is an honor to have Tulsa PD as a repeat customer for maintenance and now this new completion,” said David Brigham, President/Owner of URS. “We appreciate the work of airborne law enforcement and are committed to supporting these agencies throughout the country. “

United Rotorcraft Solutions, FAA Repair Station UX9R241Y, provides aircraft completions and refurbishment services, systems integration, maintenance, component overhaul, customized interior installations and unsurpassed exterior finishing on most model helicopters and some fixed wing aircraft. They also offer FAA approved NVG compatible lighting systems for many models.
 

Tulsa Police Reserve Recruiting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information Contact

Jesse Guardiola 918.591.4506

  

The Tulsa Police Department is seeking highly dedicated and motivated men and women who want to serve the Tulsa community by volunteering as a Tulsa Police Reserve Officer.  Reserve Officers are required to attend a state certified Reserve academy course conducted at the Department’s very own state of the art facility. Classes are scheduled to begin in January, 2009.  The academy classes are two nights per week with some additional weekend requirements for a period of five months.  All training and equipment is supplied at no charge to each Reserve Officer.

Applicants must be twenty-one years of age or older, have no felony convictions, be of good moral character, and possess a four year bachelor’s degree to become a Tulsa Police Reserve Officer.  Tulsa Police Reserve Officers work with full-time Tulsa Police Officers during emergencies and regular patrol shifts.  Tulsa Police Reserve Officers also provide security for community functions and events.

To become part of one of the best trained Reserve law enforcement agencies in the nation. go to www.jointpd.com or call the toll-free “recruiting hotline” 1-800-688-6848.