Tulsa's Police Chief Outlines Budget Goals For The Next Fiscal Year

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa's Police Chief says in the upcoming fiscal year, he'd like to see officers rehired, the helicopter unit reactivated, and an academy class held next spring. Chief Chuck Jordan believes the budget might allow it all to happen.

Chuck Jordan outlined a budget that's $9 million smaller than the current year, but said with pending and expected retirements, the City could save enough to hire back officers and reinstate some of the cuts already made.

Size of the Department

Jordan told the Tulsa City Council that the city currently has 701 officers on the force. Jordan said 26 officers are retiring May 31, and combined with the usual retirements, he believes attrition will open up enough spots to hire back most of the officers who were laid off.

"I think we'll be higher, honestly, the way things have been going, I think it's going to be higher,"Chief Jordan said.

Jordan said the department currently has 11 officers on military service who are not expected to return in the next year, and 53 officers are being paid with federal grant money.

He said the authorized strength has not changed, although the actual number of positions that will be filled depends on the budget.

Chuck Jordan said "upwards of 40" officers will be retiring by July first, another 30 are likely to retire in the next fiscal year, and the following year, another 30.

He said the force will need additional manpower by the time new officers could be ready for the field, nine months after starting the academy.

However, while Jordan said there are approximately 83 laid off officers available for hire, he wouldn't rehire some of them if he could.

"As far as availability of officers, we think the vast majority would be available to hire back," Jordan said.  "We've had some go to other agencies. Some we may prefer or choose not to hire back. I say some, it would be one or two."

Chief Jordan said if the city does not rehire officers within a year of the layoff, they would likely need some retraining to remain current on TPD procedures.

"The year timeline is at the discretion of the Chief, that's currently what it is under Chief Palmer, that's probably in normal circumstances a very valid timeline," Jordan said.  "I would certainly, if we got to the point that it was going to take longer, I would certainly extend that timeline."

Helicopter Unit

Jordan said it would cost at least $195,900 to reactivate the helicopter unit, based on required maintenance needed for both helicopters. If the city only used the newest one, it would cost $71,900.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett has suggested the city might sell the two helicopters it has now and replace them with models that cost less to fly made by Robinson Helicopter.

"We've talked to three departments that say they will never fly them again" said Jordan. "We've had anecdotal information from these departments that they struggle to get in the air in the summer, especially with the Night Sun, which is our spot light, and the FLIR equipment" said Jordan.

The Chief told Councilors his research indicated the Robertson Helicopter had "an airborne failure rate much higher" than the Hughes 500 and the Bell LongRanger the City owns.

The helicopters are grounded and the officers that flew them were reassigned to other areas, to save money for the city.

Read the Tulsa Police Department Budget Summary