Tulsa Mayor Doesn't Rule Out Hiring Sheriff's Deputies

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett said Tuesday he would consider hiring Tulsa County Sheriff's deputies, at a lower cost than police officers, if the city can't afford more officers in the next budget year.

"I would at that point like to look into it to see if we could hire some officers at a more affordable rate, contract with somebody else. The Sheriff's Office has said he would help us out," Bartlett said.

Mayor Bartlett said, "I'm not trying to break up a union or merge the sheriff's department into the Tulsa Police Department, I'm not trying to do that at all. I'm just trying to make sure we've looked at what options we have available to us, to provide good public safety, for the citizens of Tulsa."

Bartlett said he had not yet, but would ask the Department of Justice if federal grant money could be used to hire deputies for city police work.

The city has laid off and rehired officers twice. There are still 89 officers who were laid off who have not been rehired.

3/9/2010  Related Story: Tulsa Mayor Defends Delay In Asking for JAG Grants