Mayor: Tulsa Police Retirements Won't Lead to Immediate Hirebacks

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- The City of Tulsa will not immediately replace 31 Tulsa Police Officers who just retired, even though police officers who were laid off are ready to return to work.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett said the City of Tulsa would not hire back any officers until after the Fraternal Order of Police signs a new contract, and the City Council approves the new budget.

Bartlett said "We have to get our contract with the Fraternal Order of Police executed. Right now we just have a handshake agreement. We need to know for certain what our cost would be for new hires, or for bringing people back who are former police officers."

6/1/2010 Related story: More Than Two Dozen Tulsa Police Officers Retire From The Department

The new budget year start July 1 and the budget as proposed includes enough money to hire back low ranking officers as those in higher ranks retire.