Tulsa Police Department restructuring

Wednesday, April 17th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Two weeks ago, the City of Tulsa agreed to a settlement in a discrimination lawsuit against the police department. That settlement requires the department to set up a number of new reporting and paperwork procedures.

As News on Six anchor Terry Hood explains, the department is gearing up to meet the deadlines. Tulsa Police Sgt Wayne Allen: "We have to start planning now."

The Tulsa Police Department is reorganizing itself to focus on the requirements of the settlement decree. Allen says it's no small task, since they hope to have plans in place by August. The reorganization plan takes effect Monday. Along with the Investigations and Resources Bureau and the Operations Bureau that already exist, the plan creates and Implementation Team. The team's purpose is to focus on the costs associated with the requirements of the decree and formulating policies to implement those provisions.

The most involved requirement of the settlement is a data base that tracks information on each of nearly 800 officers. Allen says one of the major issues for the department, in light of a tight budget year, is the price tag. Allen: "Are we going to receive more money to initiate these changes, are we not going to receive any more money. And if not, how are we going to reallocate our manpower."

He hopes the new implementation team can answer that. The Fraternal Order of Police has been vocal in speaking out against the settlement.