Tulsa Police are doubling their presence downtown.
TPD is adding a second squad and supervisor to the Downtown Impact Team.
"As downtown continues to grow and become more successful, we also need to expand our patrol capabilities down here," said Chief Chuck Jordan. "They will serve as community resource officers for the residents here, the businesspeople here and all the other stakeholders."
Downtown Coordinating Council Executive Director Brian Kurtz said the additional officers are good for the area’s 4,000 residents, 40,000 daily workers and millions of annual visitors.
"Go to any successful downtown around the country, and you will see round-the-clock police presence very visible on the streets. And that is now going to happen here in downtown Tulsa," Kurtz said.
Officers will patrol downtown on foot, on bikes and in cars. They’ll also have office space in a Public Safety Hub at 416 S Main St. through a partnership with the DCC. It will not be open to the public initially.
The units will work staggered shifts to provide nearly around-the-clock coverage downtown.
The Downtown Impact Team was established in 2014. Tulsa City-County Library CEO Kimberly Johnson said the unit has been good for Central Library, which has been busy in the years since it reopened.
"The impact team has a positive presence that will ensure safety of all those downtown as well as our customers in our library. And seeing [officers] out of their vehicles and on bikes will help change the perception and aid in the city’s community policing project," Johnson said.
