The Tulsa Police Department is trying to improve relations with the communities they serve, especially young people.
Part of that push has been an annual forum with high school students from Tulsa Public Schools, which took place Friday at the Charles C. Mason Education Service Center.
“At times it seems as though maybe there’s a disconnect between our communities and law enforcement,” said Mayor Monroe Nichols.
Also present were Police Chief Denis Larsen and TPS Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson.
The event was organized by the Mayor’s Police and Community Coalition (MPACC), established in 2008 to improve police and community relations.
Students from various TPS high schools asked questions of officers about what their jobs entail.
Some expressed interest in becoming police officers themselves.
“I have always liked helping out others, helping out the community and helping keep people safe,” said 17-year-old Xander Pascarella, who has a brother in the Sand Springs Police Department.
“I am more focused on how the police deal with trauma,” said 15-year-old Tamem Azeez. “How are they going to protect themselves while they’re protecting us?”
Hannibal Johnson, an attorney with MPACC, said students are encouraged to express their issues and fears.
“One of the things we want students to do is feel free to ask these police officers anything they want, including difficult questions about racism, about over policing, about targeting certain individuals,” Johnson said.
“All those questions are perfectly legit in this kind of context.”
18-year-old Alison Dotolo says some of her peers are fearful of police.
“Disproportionately, Black men and women are targeted by police a lot more and arrested a lot more than, say, me or another white person. So, I’d definitely say there is some fear factor in that, for sure.”
Students attending the forum were asked to brainstorm more events connecting their schools with law enforcement.
