Tulsa Police Team Up With Local Security Guards

So, now Barney & Gomer are lookin' out for us. Great.

Great, someone that doesn't know a thing about police work, hasn't been to the police academy and now is wearing a gun will go ride-a-long with Tulsa Police. I would rather have police with no college than a security guard with 16 hrs. training on the streets of Tulsa. Is the officer going to be held responsible if the security guard screws up, like the ones that make the news all the time?

Dale wrote:

Great, someone that doesn't know a thing about police work, hasn't been to the police academy and now is wearing a gun will go ride-a-long with Tulsa Police. I would rather have police with no college than a security guard with 16 hrs. training on the streets of Tulsa. Is the officer going to be held responsible if the security guard screws up, like the ones that make the news all the time?

There is not going to be a security guard riding with me!! Been with the TPD for over 30 years and this is as bad as I've ever seen it! The wonderful city leaders are not even hiring officers to replace the ones retiring, much less hiring additional officers. Now we are going to "team up" with security guards to provide protection for the city. I think not! I won't jepordize my career so city hall can try and make itself look good. Not with me.....that will be my response when the chief of police asks me what I think about it.

"Team up" may not be the best use of words to describe this program. Channel 6's words, not mine. What will happen is security guards will be encouraged to ride with officers in order to share information and gain a better understanding of each other's duties. The security guard will not be taking any police action. Many security guards and police officers already have good working relationships. My intent is to encourage more officers and guards to work together. Having a citizen communicate with an officer during a ride-along program will not jeopardize anyone's career. This isn't about making the City look good. It's an effort to encourage the practice of Sir Robert Peels 7th principle; "Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police". Objecting to the clear need for officers is understandable. Objecting to improved communication and coordination with security guards makes no sense to me.

Good concept Captain Alexander...but when the City of Tulsa...and the TPD, get their priorities right, then maybe the officers will possibly go along with your program. When officers are working at bare minimum manpower, every day, and the tasks piled on them continues to grow and grow, then do not expect much participation. When an officer is driving 100 miles a day, with this wonderful new "Sector" concept, instead of having a beat of responsibility, then you should not expect them to want to "teach" and/or "learn" from a security guard. The TPD had disregarded the concept of getting to know the public when it did away with the beat officer. Get the priorities right and then maybe, maybe, officers will be more understanding.

In My Sights wrote:

So, now Barney & Gomer are lookin' out for us. Great.

Hey Andy. Hey Barney. Nip it, nip it, nip it!!

I was a deputy sheriff for 10 years and am now retired, working as a security guard. If I was still in law enforcement & was told I had to have a security gurad ride with me I would quit!!!!

Private security represents the citizens who hire them. When they cooperate with the police, they are merely extensions of those who hire them. Their purpose is not to replace police officers but to maintain control of the onsite situation for their clients until the police arrive.
United for Tulsa gives our police officers the opportunity to tell the security guards how to make the responding officer's job easier when he or she responds to a security 911 call. Issues like getting to the correct spot quickly, offering site resources and relevant features of the site while not inadvertently damaging evidence. That kind of cooperation makes everyone look good and keeps the community safe.

Good idea.

Vic Meyer wrote:

Private security represents the citizens who hire them. When they cooperate with the police, they are merely extensions of those who hire them. Their purpose is not to replace police officers but to maintain control of the onsite situation for their clients until the police arrive.
United for Tulsa gives our police officers the opportunity to tell the security guards how to make the responding officer's job easier when he or she responds to a security 911 call. Issues like getting to the correct spot quickly, offering site resources and relevant features of the site while not inadvertently damaging evidence. That kind of cooperation makes everyone look good and keeps the community safe.

The only thing this is doing is letting City Hall off the hook for hiring sufficient numbers of officers to keep the city safe. The city is not replacing retiring officers, much less hiring additional ones. Lets put security guards into the mix and then there is no need to hire more officers. Who is kidding who. Kathy Taylor promised 200 more officers.....FOUR YEARS AGO!!!!! Nothing. The city spends almost $100,000 dollars on a manpower study that revealed an addition 90 officers were needed. Nothing. When the City of Tulsa gets sick of being lied to, then maybe the citizens will stand up to our wonderful city politicians and demand the police department be brought up the strength like it should be.

I think some of you have the wrong concept about security officers. Not all of us are Barney Fiffs.
Alot of times we are the first one's on the scene of crimes and accidents. Yes, alot of us do not have the training police officers do, but as long as we realize the limits of what by law we can do, and not act like a cop want a be. Alot of security officers are also former police or military personel, so maybe you should think before you go running off at the mouth.

Off the Hook wrote:

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The only thing this is doing is letting City Hall off the hook for hiring sufficient numbers of officers to keep the city safe. The city is not replacing retiring officers, much less hiring additional ones. Lets put security guards into the mix and then there is no need to hire more officers. Who is kidding who. Kathy Taylor promised 200 more officers.....FOUR YEARS AGO!!!!! Nothing. The city spends almost $100,000 dollars on a manpower study that revealed an addition 90 officers were needed. Nothing. When the City of Tulsa gets sick of being lied to, then maybe the citizens will stand up to our wonderful city politicians and demand the police department be brought up the strength like it should be.

Why does Tulsa need 200 more cops? They are already like the utilities. 15 guys stand around and watch one work!