Tulsa Police Department Reassigns Top Commanders

The Tulsa Police Department announced new assignments for its top commanders Thursday.   

The commander of the department's Gilcrease Division, Major Travis Yates, has been moved to the Special Operations Division.  The move comes after an article Major Yates wrote for an online law enforcement publication was criticized by the "We The People Oklahoma" advocacy group.  

Yates took part in a community meeting at the Greenwood Cultural Center Tuesday where he apologized.  "We the People Oklahoma" called for Yates' resignation.

7/19/2016 Related Story: Tulsans Discuss Improving Community/Police Relations

The department said the reassignments were routine.  

Taking over for Major Yates at the Gilcrease Division is Major Wendell Franklin who was the commander of the department's Riverside Division.

Major Paul Fields will move from the Special Operations Division to be commander at TPD's Riverside Division.

Other moves included Major Steven Bayles from the Mingo Valley Division to Information Services Division and Major Laurel Ledbetter from Informational Services Division to the Mingo Valley Division.