© 2024 Public Radio Tulsa
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2577

A listener-supported service of The University of Tulsa
classical 88.7 | public radio 89.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Mayoral debate sparks policing discussion, spat over political mailer

Karen Keith (left) and Monroe Nichols debate at the University of Tulsa on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024
Ben Abrams
/
KWGS News
Karen Keith (left) and Monroe Nichols debate at the University of Tulsa on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024

Editor's note: This article has been updated to accurately state Monroe Nichols' plan to address homelessness.

Tulsa's mayoral candidates took to the debate stage Tuesday night, two weeks before the election.

Either County Commissioner Karen Keith or state Rep. Monroe Nichols — both Democrats — will win the mayor's seat Nov. 5.

At the debate, the candidates were asked what their goals would be in their first four-year term.

Keith said her goals are to:

  • Open a low-barrier shelter for homeless in first six months in office
  • Work with Tulsa police to address panhandling
  • Work with developers to build housing
  • Fully staff the Tulsa Police Department
  • Create an incentive program for teachers to work in Tulsa

Nichols said his goals are to:

  • Get 6,000 affordable housing units built
  • Reduce blight by 60%
  • Be on the way to achieving "functional zero homelessness" by 2030
  • Progress toward becoming safest big city in the United States
  • Create the office of children and families for the city
Left to right: Tulsa World Editor Jason Collington, reporter Kevin Canfield, columnist Ginnie Graham, and Managing Editor at The Oklahoma Eagle Gary Lee question Tulsa mayoral candidates at the University of Tulsa on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
Ben Abrams
/
KWGS News
Left to right: Tulsa World Editor Jason Collington, reporter Kevin Canfield, columnist Ginnie Graham, and The Oklahoma Eagle Managing Editor Gary Lee question Tulsa mayoral candidates at the University of Tulsa on Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Policing disparities

For the first time in this election cycle, racial disparities in Tulsa's policing were brought up on the debate stage.

According to the city's equality indicators, Tulsa police stop Black youth and adults at a rate more than twice than that of white youth and adults in 2023. They also used force on Black people seven times more than white people.

When asked if and how she would close these disparities, Keith said she would use her relationship with Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen. She also mentioned her endorsement from Tulsa's Fraternal Order of Police.

"I would be working hand-in-hand with them to make sure these discrepancies are addressed," she said.

Keith added that she would like to do a "deeper dive" on the use of force statistics, and said police "clearly need to make some adjustments."

Nichols said officers need to build trust with Tulsans.

"We really have to get back to the community policing. We have to not only hire more officers, but also, make sure those officers are really part of the community," he said.

Nichols also proposed giving things for youth to do in their neighborhoods "so they're not just hanging out."

Monroe Nichols is seen at the University of Tulsa on Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Ben Abrams
/
KWGS News
Monroe Nichols is seen at the University of Tulsa on Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Juvenile detention center debate persists

The Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice was once again front and center in Tuesday night’s mayoral debate.

The Tulsa County commissioners including Keith are accused in a federal lawsuit of failing to protect incarcerated youth from abuse by center guards. Two guards have been charged with sexual abuse of youth in the center, and Homeland Security searched the center in July.

The commissioners have maintained they were not responsible for the abuse because the center was overseen by the county's juvenile court until they took it over in July, although they knew about state violations in the center as early as May 2022.

The lawsuit was highlighted in a mailer Keith showed the audience. Keith accused Nichols of promoting rhetoric that was used in the mailer.

Nichols said he saw the mailer before the debate for the first time.

"There was a federal lawsuit that the county commissioners were named in. Do not make that as though I made that up, because I did not, and I did not send out that mailer," Nichols said.

Keith clarified that Nichols' social media team brought up the lawsuit on social media.

"It doesn't mean you pushed this particular piece out, but the narrative," she said.

Keith said she found out about the sexual abuse at the center when the general public did this spring.

"If you have a rent house, and your renter goes out and robs a bank, are you responsible?" Keith said. "The judges were running this."

Karen Keith is seen at the University of Tulsa on Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Ben Abrams
/
KWGS News
Karen Keith is seen at the University of Tulsa on Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Tulsa Community College will host a mayoral candidate forum at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28. The forum will be live-streamed on the college's website.

The mayoral election will take place Nov. 5. Check your polling place now at the state election board website.

KWGS’ Ben Abrams contributed to this report.

Max Bryan is a news anchor and reporter for KWGS. A Tulsa native, Bryan worked at newspapers throughout Arkansas and in Norman before coming home to "the most underrated city in America." Several of Bryan's news stories have either led to or been cited in changes both in the public and private sectors.