Tulsa Police Chief Talks About Cuts

[patric]

TCSO can not enforce municipal (traffic or penal) ordinances. They can only enforce state law.  Also on another note, if they are given an area of Tulsa to patrol, are they going to be participating in the COMSTAT system? The city of Tulsa spent millions of dollars for this system.

You make it sound as if spending millions of dollars on mapping software is a good thing.
Arent those the type of open-ended expenditures that have brought us to this?

From a practical standpoint, what would be wrong with re-assigning "specialty" employees to where they would be more effective?  Despite the recent publicity campaign, is it more essential to have police posing as little girls in the internet to lure pervs to Oklahoma than it is trying to solve homicides and robberies?

I realize that cushy assignments are likely rewards, but in a time of crisis, isnt it more of a service to the community to be where you are most needed?  ...if even just long enough to get everyone back on their feet?

[nathanm]

You make it sound as if spending millions of dollars on mapping software is a good thing.
Arent those the type of open-ended expenditures that have brought us to this?

The idea is a good one, although the amount is certainly questionable. Since businesses often buy overpriced and underperforming software, "running government like a business" isn't a solution.

[waterboy]

RM: "I don't understand the math the union is using.

According to the city budget and executive summary for fiscal year ending in 2010, the police budget is $86,735,000 and the department has 781 sworn officers and 116 non-sworn employees for a total of 897 employees.

That works out to be $96,694.54 per employee in that department.

The mayor has asked for a $3.4 million budget cut.

How does that equal 100 or 135 officers?

This is the same union that claimed the 392 out-of-town take home vehicles would only save about $75,000 per year (52 cents per car per day)."

The answer to that may be an easy one. Surely you don't expect the non-sworn employees, probably management level, to take part in any job reductions! That leaves the bulk of the cuts to come from (rookie)street cops.

I'm still stunned at the average pay reported here. We need to reassess just how much education and training is necessary for adequate protection. If it means re-assessing what constitutes "adequate" then start that process as well. Considering our crime rate, higher education and higher pay scales may not be such a good idea.

[nathanm]

I'm still stunned at the average pay reported here. We need to reassess just how much education and training is necessary for adequate protection. If it means re-assessing what constitutes "adequate" then start that process as well. Considering our crime rate, higher education and higher pay scales may not be such a good idea.

Setting the bar too low just encourages the abusive assholes to become officers.

[MH2010]

The Tulsa police department is average or below average for the wages that are paid to police officers in cities our size.  You may think they are high when compared to what you make or what you think officers should make but they are not.

RM, the number of police officers that are going to be laid-off came from the Chief of Police and the city, Not from the union.  City of Tulsa policy determines who gets laid-off.  The union contract mirrors the city policy. This policy covers ALL city employees.  For lay-offs to happen any other way, the mayor and city council would have to change city policy. Of course, the only department the mayor is talking about is the police department and their mean old union.

[MH2010]

I've posted this before but here are some studies regarding education levels for police departments.

A study by Roberg & Bonn (2004) suggest a strong argument for college-educated police officers. They argue that:
The benefits provided by a higher education, combined with social and technological changes, the threat of terrorism (along with civil rights issues) and the increasingly complexity of police work, suggest that a college degree should be a requirement for initial police employment. (p.13)


Aamodt, Michael G. Research in Law Enforcement Selection. Boca Raton, Florida: Brown Walker Press, 2004.
Summarizes 330 studies investigating the validity of methods used to select law enforcement personnel. Concludes that officers with a college education perform better in the academy, receive higher performance ratings on the job, have fewer disciplinary problems, have less absenteeism, and use force less often than their peers without a college education.

Fullerton, Ernie. “Higher Education as a Prerequisite to Employment as a Law Enforcement Officer.” Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 2002.
Summarizes the works of ten researchers from 1967 to 1992 who found important desirable traits for officers that are achieved through college education: less cynicism, less authoritarianism, less attrition, fewer disciplinary problems, more local pride in the police department, fewer sick days, higher academic performance, more awards, higher felony arrests made, higher performance evaluations, better decision making, flexibility in problem solving, greater empathy toward minorities, less negativity toward legal restrictions, more discretion and less control-oriented, less inclined toward rigid enforcement of the law, and less support for insularity.
Kappaler, V. E., Allen D. Sapp, and David L. Carter. “Police Officer Higher Education



Significant Findings from Previous Literature (Carter, Sapp, & Stephens 1989:ix-x)
College-educated officers perform the tasks of policing better than their non-college counterparts.
College-educated officers are generally better communicators, whether with a citizen, in court, or as part of a written police report.
The college-educated officer is more flexible in dealing with difficult situations and in dealing with persons of diverse cultures, life-styles, races, and ethnicity.
Officers with higher education are more ―professional and more dedicated to policing as a career rather than as a job.
Educated officers adapt better to organizational change and are more responsive to alternative approaches to policing.
College-educated officers are more likely to see the broader picture of the criminal justice system than to view police more provincially as an exclusive group.
The quality of college education varies significantly; this appears to co-vary with officers‘ attitudes and the effect of education on police performance.
Law enforcement agencies have fewer administrative and personnel problems with the college-educated officer compared with the non-college officer.

 

[MH2010]

here are some other studios I found:

A recent large-scale study of California police officers found that, “Officers with fewer college units tended to have significantly more complaints than officers with a higher number of units.”  (Wilson, Journal of California Law Enforcement, V33, N4, 1999)

In the “Rampart Division Scandal” of the Los Angeles Police Department (murdering suspects, planting evidence, perjury, etc.) only one of the many involved officers was a college graduate, in spite of a high percentage of college graduate officers overall in the Department.  (Unpublished study by Dennis Porter, Los Angeles, 1999)

The Blue Ribbon Commission in Chicago recommended that officers have bachelor’s degrees as a move to reduce corruption. (Report of the Commission on Integrity, Report to Mayor Daly, 1997)

A Rand study determined that college grads had only an 8% civilian complaint rate compared to a 24% rate for non-college grads.

Of the NYCPD officers arrested for corrupt acts from 1993 to 1997, 86% would not have been hired had an associate’s degree been required.  (Gerald W. Lynch, President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, USA Today, August 6, 1997)

Another study found that in a midwestern city, officers without a college education accounted for 42% of the total founded complaints while only accounting for 29% of the total officer population.  (American Journal of Police, V11, N2, 1992)

In Dade County, Florida research found that a police officer with a four-year degree had a 73% chance of superior performance, 65% if he or she possessed a two-year degree and a 50 % chance if he or she had a high school diploma. (Journal of Police Science and Administration, V5, N1, March 1977)

A study of 118 nonsupervisory patrol officers from Lincoln, Nebraska found that higher education was associated with less dogmatic beliefs (more open-mindedness) and better patrol performance.  (Journal of Police Science and Administration, V6, N3, September 1978)
 

[MH2010]

Here is a great article from the Arlington Police department. I could try and put this into my own words but I think they do a great job in explaining why police officers need college degrees.  The Tulsa police department needs something like this on their website:

Academics have pushed our department to a new level of professionalism and innovation

by Theron Bowman, Chief, Arlington Police Department, Arlington, Texas

If we expect to meet the growing demands of community policing, we must increase the education of our officers. For 16 years, the Arlington Police Department has recognized the importance of a college education. We require a four-year degree, not just for new recruits but for officers who want to advance in the department. Our officers contend that their education provides them a broader understanding of society and an improved ability to communicate, which translates into better problem-solving skills and a higher level of service to citizens.

The requirements have pushed our department to a new level of professionalism and innovation and increased our pool of female and minority candidates, providing us with valuable diversity. Police work always has demanded that officers address a variety of
problems and situations. Still, law enforcement has changed dramatically since 1983, when I joined the Arlington Police Department. Then, the department was more authoritarian. Decisions on policy were reached at the top, supposedly freeing officers from the burden of thinking for themselves. Today, officers are more autonomous. We expect them to understand and
apply the law evenly. We expect them to grasp the nature of social problems and the psychology of people with different attitudes toward the law. We expect officers to professionally and effectively handle disputes involving people from varying cultural, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds.


Community policing takes it one step further in requiring officers to be more than enforcers of the law. They must think and act proactively, not just reactively. Community policing relies heavily on problem solving and on developing partnerships with residents and business owners. The "us versus them" attitude is no longer acceptable. We push officers to be innovative and to create programs and resolve dilemmas by working with the community. Officers must wear different hats when assertively
handling an obstinate suspect and when cooperating with citizens to prevent crimes or solve a problem. Today's idea of community of policing demands more of officers. Higher education helps sharpen the skills that officers need to successfully interact with the community.

A Degree of Benefits

Only about 50 state and local police agencies nationwide require officers to have a four-year college degree. That's a small number, considering that in most other professions a college education is practically inherent.

Many people preparing themselves for a successful career view college as their first step. Employers consider college degrees when screening job candidates. In short, degrees are expected in today's marketplace. We at the Arlington Police Department believe the same philosophy should apply to law enforcement. In fact, raising educational standards for police officers long has been advocated as a way to improve the quality of police service. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement
Agencies, Inc.,  notes that higher education is not an "absolute answer," but stated in its 1994 Standards Manual that "Officers who have received a broad general education have a better opportunity to gain a more thorough understanding of society, to communicate more effectively with citizens, and to engage in the exploration of new ideas and concepts."Numerous studies conducted since the 1970s have suggested that a college education enhances law enforcement. Benefits of higher education in policing include:

Better behavioral and performance characteristics
Fewer on-the-job injuries and assaults
Fewer disciplinary actions from accidents and force allegations
Less use of sick time
Greater acceptance of minorities
Decrease in dogmatism, authoritarianism, rigidity and conservatism
Fewer citizen complaints
Promotion of higher aspirations
Enhancement of minority recruitment.

Despite these findings, there has been little change in the past 20 years in educational standards for police officers. Among the reasons cited for not requiring college degrees of officers is the belief that college education has no correlation in law enforcement and that it will reduce the pool of candidates. We have found exactly the opposite in Arlington.

The Arlington Experience

Arlington, between Dallas and Fort Worth with a population of 340,000 over 100 square miles, is the third largest city in north Texas. It hosts more than 6.5 million visitors each year and is home to national attractions, such as Six Flags Over Texas and The Ballpark in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers.

The Arlington Police Department has been a nationally accredited agency since 1989. We have an authorized staff of 589 sworn and 175 non-sworn. We began phasing in college degree requirements in 1986. First, we required new recruits with no prior police experience to hold at least a bachelor's degree. Recruits with a minimum of two years experience and an associate's degree were also eligible for employment. The requirements did not apply to current officers, but the stipulations prompted many of them to seek their first degree or to further their education. About 75 percent of Arlington officers hold at least a bachelor's degree.

In 1999, we updated the policy to require that all new recruits, regardless of previous experience, hold a bachelor's degree. We also required officers who had been "grandfathered" to seek a higher education to qualify for promotion.

Other educational milestones:


*        In 1991 a Bachelor's degree was required for deputy chiefs.
*        In 1995 a Bachelor's degree was required for lieutenants.
*        In 1999 a Master's degree was required for assistant chiefs.
*        In 2000 at least a four-year degree was required of any office


seeking a promotion. Also, assistant chiefs were required to hold a Master's degree.

In our recruiting efforts, we quickly realized that college students preferred to work where their college education was a consideration. This was especially true in "protected-class students," racial and ethnic minorities and all females who often were first-generation college students. In fact, people from protected classes have made up about two-thirds of each of our recruit classes since 1986. At conferences around the country, Arlington police officers of all levels hear other departments complain of struggling to recruit new officers. Although the Arlington Police Department has more demanding educational requirements, applicants continue to pour in. In 24 months (June 2000 to last June) we hired 161 officers. We are in the last phases of a plan to hire about 42 more officers (as of last June) before the end of this year; and the pool of quality applicants continues to replenish itself. Enhancing our educational requirements has not hampered our efforts to mirror the community. In fact, as of May of this year, 11 percent of Arlington officers are Hispanic, 12 percent are African-American, and 5 percent are of American Indian and Asian or Pacific Island descent. Also, 16 percent of those officers are female, well above the national average of 12 percent.

Classrooms to Streets

A person's commitment to the rigorous demands of a college education indicates that person's dedication to the pursuit of excellence. College imparts not just extensive academic knowledge but real-life experience to help officers deal with the community. College exposes students to people with different backgrounds, languages, ideas, beliefs, attitudes and goals.

Patrol experience has no substitute, but police departments increasing realize that skills learned in the classroom qualify as essential for today's officers. In that regard, Arlington officers are expected to be computer-literate. They conduct community meetings using PowerPoint presentations. They must be able to read and interpret statistical data. Sergeants and lieutenants often conduct surveys to determine citizen priorities and expectations. Supervisors must analyze trends using precise research methods. When front-line employees submit requests to my office for changes in policy or procedure, they are often accompanied by thorough documentation.

Such processes have become the norm in our department; and, because recruits come to us with academic training and basic computer skills, our department can spend more time teaching the essentials-police issues and tactics.

We believe that a competent, professional staff continues to build on its academic education by remaining open to experiment and to what is new in law enforcement. Still, if educational standards for law enforcement personnel have not changed drastically across the board, it is likely due to the demands and expectations of police chiefs. Our experience in raising our standards has proven to be nothing but beneficial. Having a college-educated police force has most decidedly contributed to the degree of quality that our residents have come to expect.


Assistant Chief Tommy Ingram

Operations Bureau

Master of Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice It took six years to finish the second half of my first degree because I was working full-time on rotating shifts. Back then, my degree was a personal goal because the department did not require one. I've found that higher education has enabled me to relate better to the community by giving me a greater understanding of other people's perspectives and problems that affect their neighborhoods. It also expanded my own perspective, broadening the scope of options that I may not have considered before. After promotion to my current position, I enrolled in graduate school. It has dramatically enhanced my research and writing skills, furthering my ability to better serve the community.

Detective Liz Edmonds-Hayes
Domestic Crimes Unit
Bachelor of Science

I investigate a wide range of crimes, including sexual assaults and family violence. The extensive amount of writing required for obtaining my degree in journalism equipped me with the communication skills that I rely on in my job as a detective. I am called upon daily to express myself in writing in the form of arrest warrants, case reports, search warrants and written statements. My college experience has helped me to concisely and effectively prepare and file cases, which leads to a higher probability of successful prosecution. It is my hope that the outcome of such cases will benefit not just the victims and their families, but the community as a whole.

Deputy Chief Lisa Womack
Community Services Division

Master of Public Administration, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice My education has helped me tremendously in the areas of problem-solving and community involvement. My MPA focused on service delivery from a local government perspective, which has been beneficial in developing community-policing strategies. I am working toward a Ph.D. in sociology.


Officer Dolores Chavez
Patrol
Master of Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Science

While I was attending college, I interacted with students of all nationalities, cultures and socioeconomic levels. The experience was
valuable in that it afforded me the opportunity to better understand and interact with other ethnic groups that make up a large part of the community we serve.

Sergeant Lauretta Hill
supervisor in Personnel and Recruiting Unit

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with a minor in sociology My experiences in college prepared me to interact with applicants from various backgrounds, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic classes. Because I am responsible for hiring new officers, I constantly interact with the community. I attend career fairs around the state and teach the hiring process to residents in the Citizens Police Academy. I also speak to high school classes to prepare them for careers in law enforcement.

Lieutenant Carolyn Allen
Internal Affairs Section
Bachelor of Science

My degree is in education and I have a state certification for teaching. I have held several positions in the department and my degree has proven to be extremely helpful in each one. I served as a School Resource Officer for about three years before my promotion. My degree has given me the foundation that is needed to support the department's implementation of "Geographic Policing," which focuses on problem-solving, promoting open communication, and working with the community. It has also provided me with the skills necessary to effectively present information to and communicate with various community groups about their needs and concerns.

Sergeant Lonnie Wright
Patrol
Bachelor of Theology

I was motivated to go to college when I realized the direction the department was taking in requiring degrees for promotion. Many of my colleagues already had degrees and I recognized that with technology developing at such a fast pace, a college education would help me keep up my career as a law enforcement officer. It's been difficult having a full-time career and raising four children. But I realized that to be the best officer and the best pastor (I am also an ordained minister) I needed the best training. Since receiving my degree, I have been promoted to sergeant, my salary has increased and my self-esteem has improved as well. Knowledge is power, and the more knowledge I can obtain, the more power and control I have over my future.

Officer Corinthia Campbell
Narcotics, formerly Patrol
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

As a patrol officer, I constantly strove to improve community relations as part of my duties of community policing. My college education prepared me for concise and educated decision making. Working patrol taught me to improvise and think quickly. Being exposed to a mixture of lifestyles and cultures in college helped me adjust to others and taught me the importance of being tolerant. Life experiences have also taught me that most situations aren't as they first seem and another perspective may be needed to solve the problem. One thing that life constantly reminds me is that a combination of experience and education
is unbeatable.

[YoungTulsan]

I certainly prefer the idea of educated officers as opposed to thug cops.

[shadows]

Quoted from MH2010 quote
-------------------------------------
The quality of college education varies significantly; this appears to co-vary with officers‘ attitudes and the effect of education on police performance.
--------------------------------------------

In the foregoing argument is this why Tulsa, among a minority of cities, require a year of training through the Police Academy and field instructions before they are capable of being turned loose on the streets?

Should Tulsa retire all officers who do not have the four years of college?

It is being cited on the classification/wage scale of schedules on which the TPD base their justification of compensation and quoted as being established by the City,   By “Government of the People” do you recall when the wage scale was voted on by the citizens after the Charter amendments?  Or was it another back door entrance that is uncontrollable which will cause the city to default shortly.

The Charter provides for the Mayor to furnish an entire police department.  Could it be used for the Mayor to contract with the county, established by the state, to furnish policing functions authorized either by City Charter or State Statutes?

   

[custosnox]

Except these "adapt a pet" pictures are of people that won't be there to save you or your family when you call 911.

I get so tired of lines like this.  So far the only thing that has been there to save me and my family is my firearm.  The police show up after the fact, look around, take a report, then leave.  TPD actively prevents very few crimes that I have seen, and are more reactive then anything, and those reactions are limited.  Don't take this the wrong way, since having an active police force helps keep things from turning into the old west, but when it comes down to it, calling 911 to get the Police will very rarely result in any action that will increase my safety.  

[guido911]

I get so tired of lines like this.  So far the only thing that has been there to save me and my family is my firearm.  The police show up after the fact, look around, take a report, then leave.  TPD actively prevents very few crimes that I have seen, and are more reactive then anything, and those reactions are limited.  Don't take this the wrong way, since having an active police force helps keep things from turning into the old west, but when it comes down to it, calling 911 to get the Police will very rarely result in any action that will increase my safety.  

Just shut up. What do you know about crime prevention.

/sarc

[MH2010]

That's okay. I get so tired of people like you that think all police officers just wait for 911 calls and then go clean up the mess and take reports.  You should educate yourself. Fill out the form and do a ride-along with the police department. Better yet, enroll in the Citizen's police academy. Try and make an effort to understand how a police department works.  

The main function of patrol officers is to take calls (and complete initial reports). These are the officers that show up when people call 911. When there aren't any calls, Patrol officers "patrol" when they have free time. Unfortunatley, they are so busy because they are short staffed and the call load is so high that there is very little free time to patrol and actually do anything proactive.  Detectives main function is to investigate crime after it happens.  Their case loads are completely overwhelming and rarely do they have time to go out and chase people.

However, patrol and detectives are not the only police officers on the force.  Street crimes units and the Special investigation division are totally proactive and hunt the worst criminals in the area. They arrest armed and dangerous people before they can harm people.  They also arrest methamphetamine lab cooks usually before they manage to blow themselves or other people up.  

Here is one example of how this works since most people don't know, William Cody Lee was a drug dealer and a burglar. He was the head of a burglary ring that probably committed well over 200 burglaries (that would be over 200 victims) in Tulsa.

[MH2010]

Special Investigation officers actively pursued William Cody Lee. Officers conducted surveillance and then arrested William Cody Lee with components of a methamphetamine lab. Officers also found a bunch of stolen stuff. Imagine that!! William Cody Lee was then charged with Endeavoring to manufacture CDS and other charges.  William Cody Lee pled guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in DOC.  

This guy was a serial offender. If he was out, he would still be burglarizing homes, cars, trucks, businesses anything he could.

This is how future crimes are prevented by officers. Rarely does it happen (like in the movies) when officers (or Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, ect) swoop in at the nick of time and stops the rapist, the murder, the armed robber in the act.

There are hundreds of examples of this but people never hear about them because they are not in the news. I'm not saying they should be. But it seems like if people don't read or see it on the news then it doesn't happen.

[custosnox]

educate myself?  As opposed to your one sided view of how TPD is so great?  I've been on several sides of the line.  I've seen how many crimes are out there, and I've seen how many times that the victim, in the end, is left out to dry with no answers or action.  I've also seen how many crimes have occurred and the only action to them is the police showing up and taking a report.  I've also seen what it takes to find criminals and pull them off the street and put them away.  You try to turn this into a scare tactic of saving us.  When I say I get tired of hearing this line and you tell me to educate yourself, then I will in turn tell you that I have been educated.  I have obviously been educated beyond anything that your limited sight of reasoning can ever understand.  What an idiot.