Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum announced Friday that Dennis Larsen would be the next chief of the Tulsa Police Department.
Larsen, a 45-year veteran of the force, currently heads the investigative unit. He will take over for Wendell Franklin to lead Oklahoma's second-largest local police department July 31.
Franklin, who was appointed chief in 2020, will move into the private sector as director of corporate security for BOK Financial after 23 years with TPD.
"Dennis Larson is a true public servant," Bynum said, "putting the citizens of Tulsa and the Tulsa Police Department ahead of himself."
Larsen's time on the TPD's bomb squad was the subject of much talk at Friday's press conference, with reference to his work in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.
"He is calm and steady in a crisis," Bynum said.
Speaking to reporters, Larsen said he hopes "not much" change will be noticed at the department when he begins "because Chief Franklin has been a fantastic chief."
Franklin spoke highly of his colleague.
"Anything I needed, Dennis was there," he said.
In addition to leading the investigative unit, Larsen was the chief’s designee for collective bargaining with the Fraternal Order of Police.
Transition, immigration and media access
Speaking to reporters, Larsen said several initiatives TPD has already undertaken will continue as planned, such as expanding the use of Tulsa's Real Time Information Center and negotiating a move to a new public safety center.
When asked about his stance on House Bill 4156, the sweeping state-level immigration enforcement bill Gov. Kevin Stitt recently signed into law, Larsen said he doesn't want any resident of Tulsa to fear calling the police due to immigration status.
"Our position has always been that, if you don't commit a violent crime, and there is no reason for the officer to believe you're in the commission of a felony — ethnicity, color of your skin, American citizen or not an American citizen — is not gonna be a factor in any encounters we have."
When asked if anything will change regarding TPD's relationship with the media, Larsen said "not at all." Larsen is married to KJRH anchor Karen Larsen.
