New Controversy Over Tulsa Police Take-Home Cars

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- There's a new wrinkle to the controversy over Tulsa Police officers driving their patrol cars home at night.

Some Tulsa city councilors have criticized the practice and now have a legal opinion behind them.

Police officers get to drive their patrol cars home and it's considered to be part of their pay. A council attorney says that's a benefit that violates a city ordinance.

More than half of Tulsa's police force lives outside the city limits and they drive patrol cars home each day at city expense. 

It's a benefit that's part of their contract, even though it appears to be at odds with a city ordinance.

Read The City Policy On Take-Home Vehicles

"Well it means the FOP, through their collective bargaining agreement, has been able to violate a city ordinance," said Bill Martinson, Tulsa City Councilor.

The president of the police union says the contract supersedes the ordinance, but a new opinion from the city council's attorney says the ordinance has more weight.

City of Tulsa's ordinance states officers may drive their cars home as long as they live in the city limits and park in plain sight. The police contract states officers may drive cars home as long as they live within a 25 mile radius.

The city considers the center of Tulsa to be 41st and Yale. The 25 mile rule allows officers to commute home far outside the city limits of Tulsa.

Councilor Martinson says the city should enforce the ordinance and save the expense, last estimated to be about a million dollars a year.

"I think it's a significant number, regardless of how you look at it, especially considering the financial crisis the city of Tulsa is in right now," said Martinson.

FOP President Phil Evans says the city council came up with the ordinance to circumvent the administration's bargaining power. He points out that city legal reviewed and approved the contract that includes the take home cars.

10/28/2009  Related Story: Two City Councilors Ask Tulsa FOP To Give Up Take-Home Cars