Questions raised over cost of Tulsa Police lawsuit

A discrimination lawsuit against the city of Tulsa Police Department may be settled, but it isn't over.<br><br>Now it's a question of who will pay the cost of the eight-year legal battle. The

Wednesday, April 10th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A discrimination lawsuit against the city of Tulsa Police Department may be settled, but it isn't over.

Now it's a question of who will pay the cost of the eight-year legal battle. The city has already spent two million dollars in legal fees. Negotiations now underway will determine whether that figure goes up. The settlement allows for future litigation, with limits, and requires the city to set up a system that tracks police contact with citizens. That system will costs three million dollars over five years.

Mayor Bill LaFortune believes the agreement was in the city's best interest. "This will impact the budget, but the long term financial damage and exposure this continued litigation would have caused in my opinion would have been much greater."

The Fraternal Order of Police plans to fight the settlement, saying it violates the union's collective bargaining powers