Tulsa's Operation Ceasefire

Tulsa Police and community leaders have some good ideas on how to stop gun violence. They call it Operation Ceasefire. <br><br>The people who made the program work in North Carolina came to Tulsa. They

Wednesday, August 27th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police and community leaders have some good ideas on how to stop gun violence. They call it Operation Ceasefire.

The people who made the program work in North Carolina came to Tulsa. They say the plan focuses on two key points. First, get the worst criminals off the streets and second, help young criminals get jobs, drug counseling and an education.

They say the only way it'll work is for everyone in the community to be on the same page. Reverend Steven Fails: "Everybody was sick of it and we had to tell our community we're sick of it. To say this isn't African Americans, sagging pants, hats on backward, cussing out women, that ain't black."

Reverend Fails says the first step is for police and the people to trust each other. One way to do that is have a meeting where everyone gets to clear the air about past grievances so they can start talking about the future.