The Tulsa Police "War"

[swake]

Yates was just promoted to the head of the Special Operations Division.

Yes, the one at the heart of the corruption scandal. http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=14539.0

Ok, I'm no fan of Yates and what he wrote, but he wasn't promoted, he was reassigned from heading Gilcrease. It's a lateral move. Second, that scandal was seven years ago and has little to nothing to do with current events.

[Vashta Nerada]

Ok, I'm no fan of Yates and what he wrote, but he wasn't promoted, he was reassigned from heading Gilcrease. It's a lateral move.

What's that game where you move the pieces so as to distract the viewer to the point where they cant keep track of the player, or loose interest?

[swake]

What's that game where you move the pieces so as to distract the viewer to the point where they cant keep track of the player, or loose interest?

I agree that is what is going on, but that doesn't mean he was "promoted" as you claimed.

[Breadburner]

What is the dingle berry OP yammering about now....

[sauerkraut]

What's up in Tulsa with the massive number of homeless people all over the city, you see people sleeping in bus stop shelters, on the grass of freeway exit ramps, around Wal-Mart parking lots. Don't cops  enforce any laws on this or does the mayor tell the cops not to do anything? If you give money to a beggar on a street corner, the next day you'll have 2 or 3 beggars at that corner. These past few years the homeless population really exploded. This is a Tulsa problem, when you go into BA, Bixby, Glenpool,  Owasso, or any suburb you don't see this problem.

[Hoss]

What's up in Tulsa with the massive number of homeless people all over the city, you see people sleeping in bus stop shelters, on the grass of freeway exit ramps, around Wal-Mart parking lots. Don't cops  enforce any laws on this or does the mayor tell the cops not to do anything? If you give money to a beggar on a street corner, the next day you'll have 2 or 3 beggars at that corner. These past few years the homeless population really exploded. This is a Tulsa problem, when you go into BA, Bixby, Glenpool,  Owasso, or any suburb you don't see this problem.

That's straight up BS and proves to me you don't live here.  I see them in nearly EVERY suburb in town and I visit them all.  Well, all except Glenpool.

[AquaMan]

Hoss is correct about this being metro wide. I don't know where you live but panhandling has become pandemic. See it at every corner of the city. However its more difficult in the burbs without medians and sidewalks. The local cops are more likely to go after them in the burbs as well since Tulsa cops have more important stuff to do. Its funny to see one at the corner of Tulsa Hills where no one stops to give money lest they miss the turn light.

[Conan71]

It doesn't look any worse to me these days than it has in the last 10 years and I'm all over the metro every day.

[Hoss]

It doesn't look any worse to me these days than it has in the last 10 years and I'm all over the metro every day.

20 years ago before I moved back to Tulsa from Texas a panhandler was very rare here.  I got used to them while living in Houston however.

[AquaMan]

I'm seeing more than I have in a long time. Especially in the mid-town area. Its becoming a career choice for a lot of people. They work a bit, pan handle a bit and make better money on the street. Easy choice if you have the skills and patience. Sauer's description of "massive" amounts is .....Sauer.

Timing is everything for them. Unless you're at a busy corner during a busy time you won't find them. They're under the overpasses, along the river or at the convenience stores. Hard workers really. 100 degrees and standing at the entrance to Tulsa Hills at lunch? That's work.

[swake]

I'm seeing more than I have in a long time. Especially in the mid-town area. Its becoming a career choice for a lot of people. They work a bit, pan handle a bit and make better money on the street. Easy choice if you have the skills and patience. Sauer's description of "massive" amounts is .....Sauer.

Timing is everything for them. Unless you're at a busy corner during a busy time you won't find them. They're under the overpasses, along the river or at the convenience stores. Hard workers really. 100 degrees and standing at the entrance to Tulsa Hills at lunch? That's work.

These panhandlers aren't the homeless under bridges, these look like professional grifters. They work in teams and are organized to hit all the important intersections in a given area.

[Conan71]

I haven't even been hit up in downtown or at a QT lately which used to be a pretty regular occurrence.  I did have one guy show up on Saturday morning during Tulsa Tough expecting to get paid to help with set up, but that's as close to an all out panhandle as I've heard in awhile.  I told him it was all volunteer and he walked off, didn't even solicit a cup of coffee.

[AquaMan]

They really like the hospital corridor along Utica:
15th and Utica, Phillips station.
13th and Utica, they work in platoons.
Admiral and Utica off 244. Assemble under the trees and work all four corners.

They also like the convenience of Riverparks and West Tulsa
between 66bridge and 23rd street bridge. Layover spot.
23rd and Southwest blvd. On median between McDon and QT. McDon has a sign prohibiting loitering in the building
17th and Southwest blvd on exit ramp or across from liquour store. Friendly enough, rotate in and out from the overpass.

Other spots like Memorial at 31st near the hotels are good too but Swake is right. They carpool in vans and get dropped at hotspots. Clever signs, a scroungy dog and claimed Veteran status are necessary props.

[godboko71]

Turnpike exits on Memorial also have one at every corner, sometimes even the on ramps. The pros have been migrating further south.

As for nonpros one has to look no further than well any given underpass there is a good chance if you look up you will see tents, or clothes hanging, someone sleeping.

Granted doesn't have much to do with police feeling at war.

[cannon_fodder]

This is a fair assessment, if incomplete, assessment IMHO:

https://popehat.com/2016/07/21/reverence-for-the-blue/