Back at it and now...Grant to fund 18 Tulsa police officers

[Wilbur]

I do not know what national bodies need to certify our force and what training requirements those bodies hold, but I firmly believe we can save boo-koo bucks by scrapping the academy and going straight to trainee status.

WOW!  Tulsa could have the dubious distinction of being the only police force in the entire country who doesn't require any police academy training. 

Thank god you're not in charge.  Thank god state law trumps that crazy idea!

[tim huntzinger]

WOW!  Tulsa could have the dubious distinction of being the only police force in the entire country who doesn't require any police academy training. 

Thank god you're not in charge.  Thank god state law trumps that crazy idea!

We need to look at state law then.  If local municipalities need the authority to do what it takes to finally get some decent law and order on the streets instead of random interjections with snobs with badges like you, than thar you go. Ha ha!

TPD could just add that dubious distinction to their Federal oversight for racism, their chief cheating new grads when it comes to assignments, the annual freak-with-a-gun-and-a-badge story, cops crashing their cars drunkenly at official events, and on and on.  What is the latest scandal, there, Wilbur?  Care to share?  Any rumors of 'shakedowns,' 'time padding,' 'excessive force'?

NEVER hear these kind of crazy antics with the Sherriff's department.  At least not all over the front pages.  We need to streamline the process of getting new badges on the street.  Period.  Sorry to have to step on your toes, but the waste and BS that bloats the Department has to be confronted.  Sorry to have to say that a BA in English Prose makes one more qualified than anyone else in the world to be a member of the TPD.

At least I am not such a crazy, classless pig as to call a Senator of the US a 'b*tch.'  Thank god YOU are not in charge of any more than you are! Ha ha ha!

[godboko71]

I have to wonder why you have to resort to personal attacks to make your point. Sorry to all for keeping this off topic.

That said, how on earth are we going to get better protection from people with ZERO training as you want it?

How are you going to get more cops on the street by requiring zero training and no education requirement? Where is this magic money and magic savings we are going to see?

How would police know when to pull their gun or when to talk someone down from a bad situation if they don't have academy training?

As for the comparison to the sheriff's department, you must not pay attention or know many people in law enforcement if you think the Tulsa County Sheriff's department is above scandal. That said every department has its issues, getting rid of training is never a good option to "improve" the quality of our safety.

[Hoss]

I have to wonder why you have to resort to personal attacks to make your point. Sorry to all for keeping this off topic....snip...

Not to get this off topic too much, but that is kinda funny, isn't it?  Given that he complains about being personally attacked by every poster that has ever responded to him.

Something about dishing it out comes to mind...

...ok, back to the topic at hand now.

[tim huntzinger]

I have to wonder why you have to resort to personal attacks to make your point. Sorry to all for keeping this off topic.

That said, how on earth are we going to get better protection from people with ZERO training as you want it?

How are you going to get more cops on the street by requiring zero training and no education requirement? Where is this magic money and magic savings we are going to see?

How would police know when to pull their gun or when to talk someone down from a bad situation if they don't have academy training?

As for the comparison to the sheriff's department, you must not pay attention or know many people in law enforcement if you think the Tulsa County Sheriff's department is above scandal. That said every department has its issues, getting rid of training is never a good option to "improve" the quality of our safety.

I have to wonder why every post you engage in is full of disinformation and distractions. I mean what is wrong with your reading skills?  Can you even read?  This is a sad commentary on your ability to reason and comprehend, really degrading your own abilities. Do you honestly think using this forum is the best place to demonstrate your logical acumen to potential customers?  Thanks for the heads up. I will be sure to pass that along.

So we have the above-reproach TPD HR signing up Councilor Westcott's son for the Academy, wasting goodness knows how much money just to yank him out of the class, but we cannot question at all the TPD's process of acquisition and placement of badges on the street.  We have the former chief defrauding grads by hand-picking their assignments in violation of some kind of rule but all is well.  Some badge gets on here and uses misogynist sexist language of the most vile kind and you want to make me out to be a name-caller?  If he is the average good cop what are the others saying and thinking when no one is listening?  Lucky we do not have the Feds investigating sexism in the TPD.

Four years after Mayor Taylor promised 200 mo badges on the street and we have how many? And is crime out of control? No.  At this point we need to question the TPD more than ever.

[tim huntzinger]

Not to get this off topic too much, but that is kinda funny, isn't it?  Given that he complains about being personally attacked by every poster that has ever responded to him.

Something about dishing it out comes to mind...

...ok, back to the topic at hand now.

I cannot remember the last time you contributed anything but nonsense to any thread I have ever read on this forum.  Just nothing is going on with you.  I mean there is zippo coming from you of any kind of substance.  No ideas.  Nothing out of the box.  Just using crayons to snipe at people on the web.

Mentoring.  Screening.  Looking at the probationary period for new recruits.  Lots of ways to get badges on the street without the rigidity of the current process.  If 'wilbur' is right, and local polities are limited by state law in the hiring and training of police than that is something to look at.  Our whole focus should not be on spending more but keeping costs down.

Funny how no one questions Conan's unwarranted, vicious slam against the Sheriff's deputies but are all upset when I supposedly 'name-call' against a cop who is on record using sexist, misogynist slurs against a US Senator.

[Hoss]

I cannot remember the last time you contributed anything but nonsense to any thread I have ever read on this forum.  Just nothing is going on with you.  I mean there is zippo coming from you of any kind of substance.  No ideas.  Nothing out of the box.  Just using crayons to snipe at people on the web....snipped useless bantering

Thanks a million for proving my point, Timmah.  You can dish it out, but when someone questions you at all, you resort to veiled name-calling and the like.

Seriously, get out of the house more.  Or at least from under your rock.

[tim huntzinger]

Thanks a million for proving my point, Timmah.  You can dish it out, but when someone questions you at all, you resort to veiled name-calling and the like.

Seriously, get out of the house more.  Or at least from under your rock.

And you questioned me how?  You have contributed to this notion of how to get more cops for less money how?  Now I am accused of 'veiled' name-calling!  Oh my!  How naughty!

Right there.  Three ideas for more cops less money.  Right there.  Defending the honor of our sworn law officers.  Right there.  Confronting sexism and misogyny on the TPD.  But okie doke let us make this about ME.

[RecycleMichael]

Four years after Mayor Taylor promised 200 mo badges on the street and we have how many?

Just to correct this...Candidate Kathy Taylor never promised 200 more policeman. That was Candidate Randi Miller.

[TUalum0982]

What kind of Praetorian Guard do you people think are in the TPD?  I can accept the notion that most of the TN posters may not be Academy grads - even though I think that is a little high - but now not even Sherriff's deputies?  Next ya'll be saying that Special Forces have a higher acceptance rate? And what kind of service are we Tulsans getting that we think so glowingly of the TPD?  My point is that intelligence and intuition are not a matter of training, and that we can increase the number of applicants by dropping the silly degree requirement.  I do not know what national bodies need to certify our force and what training requirements those bodies hold, but I firmly believe we can save boo-koo bucks by scrapping the academy and going straight to trainee status.

Why would we want to increase the number of applicants when there are already too many applicants applying for the number of positions available?  So instead of 20, 30, or 40% of the people applying make it to the academy, that number would drop to 5, 10 or 15%?  If anything, it would cost the city more money to weed out ALL of the people that applied who werent qualified. 

And instead of rambling on and on about problems which alot of people in our fine city tend to do, why don't you propose a solution.  No offense, but eliminating the degree requirement would be absurd.  How would that help us hire more officers and get better qualified officers on our streets? enlighten us please sir/mam

[tulsa_fan]

back on topic . . . . .

I don't see why the City wouldn't be moving heaven and earth trying to get the money ? ? ? Yes, they have to come up with some money to train and equip the officers, but their salaries for THREE YEARS are paid. 

It is very likey the academy is going to be cancelled this year, so there will be no new officers coming through, but still plenty of them retiring.   

The requirement to keep them a fourth year is also a no-brainer, it's not like it's an additional 18 officers, they will be replacements of officers that leave over the next 3 years.

I am sure there are details I don't know about, but the basics seems pretty obvious to me, kind of like when your company matches your 401k and you don't do it.  Even if it's just a few bucks, why would you through free money away, ever ? ? ?

[tim huntzinger]

Just to correct this...Candidate Kathy Taylor never promised 200 more policeman. That was Candidate Randi Miller.

Huh.  Above-all-question blogger Michael Bates thought not. http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:17257.  Somehow that 'magick 200' seemed to this guy to be needed. http://www.kentmorlan.com/CrimeWave.htm

In terms of increasing the number of applicants, just think it makes sense to widen the pool of possibilities.  Rambling on?  Shur, shug. Whatever floats yer boat.

[rwarn17588]

Huh.  Above-all-question blogger Michael Bates thought not. http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:17257.

Considering how Bates' credibility got majorly dinged a few months ago, I would take his missives with a 50-pound sack or two of salt.

[swake]

Huh.  Above-all-question blogger Michael Bates thought not. http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:17257.  Somehow that 'magick 200' seemed to this guy to be needed. http://www.kentmorlan.com/CrimeWave.htm

In terms of increasing the number of applicants, just think it makes sense to widen the pool of possibilities.  Rambling on?  Shur, shug. Whatever floats yer boat.

Bates (and Medlock) has been consistently wrong about this, it was Randi Miller. From 2/6/2006:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=060209_Ne_A9_Mayor56011&archive=yes

Miller, a Tulsa County commissioner, said public safety is her priority and that she would add 200 police officers to fight the growing crime rate.

[DowntownNow]

Havent gotten to check on this much lately catching up with work at all but...posted by the TW today:

Tulsa Police Chief: Tulsa should take stimulus money
by: RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer
Monday, August 03, 2009
8/3/2009 1:29:52 PM

Tulsa Police Chief Ron Palmer said Monday it is in the long-term best interests of Tulsa to accept a $3.5 million stimulus grant that would allow the city to add 18 police officers.

"In the long-term, you have to look past the '09-'10 budget," Palmer said. "You have to look forward."

Opposition to the grant has developed because it would require the city to pay to equip the officers and commit to keeping them on the force after the grant expires after three years.

Palmer and Mayor Kathy Taylor said the biggest obstacle is the equipment cost, estimated at $850,000. Palmer said his staff is looking for ways to come up with the money through such things as extending the service life of its patrol cars.

Can't believe I am siding with Kathy Taylor and Ron Palmer on this one...the world must be coming to an end, but I must.  Tulsa does have to look past its current financial woes and do everything it can to curb the rising crime rates and ensure proper public safety. 

I think Palmer came to a brilliant, albeit known for quite some time, realization with that last statement about extending the service life of patrol cars...that same fleet of vehicles sitting in the parking lot waiting to be outfitted..not being used, not being of service and laying idle. 

I believe Tulsa can, between now and the end of the 3 year grant period, come up with a way to better use resources, extend service life of lots of things and negotiate future contracts in a much more responsible fashion to compy with the 4th year requirement. 

If we cant, something is wrong and the state of the budget will be the last thing we need to worry about.