Tulsa County Deputies: 'No Faith, Confidence' In County Commissioners

Thursday, Tulsa County sheriff's deputies delivered a scathing letter to county commissioners saying, in part, that they have "no faith or confidence" in them.

It's their first step in holding commissioners accountable.

Commissioner Karen Keith was the only commissioner in the office when deputies delivered the letter. She told the deputies she knew things had been bad for the past year, to which deputies said, try the last seven or eight years.

Deputies showed up in force, without a meeting scheduled, letter in hand, stating, "[The] Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff's Fraternal Order of Police asks that the constant lack of support and the barrage of negativity cease."

Keith asked them to stay and chat.

Deputies: "We continue to fund the fairgrounds."
Keith: "Of course we do, and do you know why?"
Deputies: "It's because it's a large tax revenue, I understand that."
Keith: "Correct. But we need to take care of you guys, too."
Deputies: "But we have a constitutional duty to run a jail."

The deputies are frustrated with the lack of funding for the Tulsa County Jail - a $34 million operation, with a budget $2.5 million below that.

And, they say, every time the county talks about privatizing the jail, detention officers get scared and leave to work for other agencies.

"We all need to put our heads together and work for the best resolution. And we need your help," Keith said.

Deputies said their biggest beef is that, in the past eight years, they've gotten one, five percent raise, which the sheriff’s office policy says they should get every year.

"One time in ten years," the deputies said. "Yeah, I think the last time I had it it was...I've been here about eight years…No step increases."

The letter also calls out commissioners for using bullying tactics to prevent deputies from getting their longevity pay.

"It broke everyone's morale. That was the only hope in the past year or so that we've had to look forward to, and the county commissioners, and some others, took that away from us," said Travis Jones with the Tulsa County Deputy FOP.

Keith said she wants to keep an open door with the Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff's FOP, and she wants them to meet with the budget board to talk about getting their raises.