Tulsa Mayor Decides To Change Leadership Of Police Department

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Police Chief Ron Palmer announced his resignation in a 1 p.m. Friday press conference, saying he would be out of the office by close of business that day.

"How I go out today: I hold my head high," Palmer told reporters.

Chief Palmer called the news conference after meeting with Mayor Dewey Bartlett just before noon.

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Palmer said he has a few regrets about his second term as Tulsa's police chief including that Mayor Dewey Bartlett found it necessary to go outside the police department to find an interim chief.

"He wants to take the department in a new direction that apparently I am not providing for him," Palmer said of Bartlett.

Palmer said he found out about his resignation through the media and said he deserved to be told privately before the public learned of the leadership change. The News On 6 learned Palmer turned in his resignation two weeks ago, and Mayor Bartlett accepted it Friday.

During a news conference Friday afternoon, Mayor Dewey Bartlett announced that the interim chief will be Chuck Jordan, a former Tulsa police officer who is now a captain with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

In his TCSO position, Jordan oversees the Special Operations Team, the reserve deputies and specialty units including the Drug Task Force.

Interim Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan said he wants to get past the layoffs and budget difficulties.

"We've got to get back this and do all the things we took our oath to do," Jordan said. "Get back to fighting crime and serving our community."

The sheriff's office tells The News On 6 Jordan took a leave of absence effective Friday.

Jordan says his experience and opportunities have made him a much better, well-rounded law enforcement official. 

He joined the sheriff's office four years ago after retiring from the Tulsa Police Department and worked his way up the ranks.

Palmer was appointed chief by Bartlett's predecessor, Kathy Taylor, in 2007.

8/29/2007 Related story: Former Chief Named New Police Chief