Tulsa Police Chief Dave Been reacts to mayor's decision

Tulsa Police Chief Dave Been says he believes an investigation will show there was no attempt to cover-up or withhold the report.<br/><br/>News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright talked with Been Monday

Monday, February 20th 2006, 3:59 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police Chief Dave Been says he believes an investigation will show there was no attempt to cover-up or withhold the report.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright talked with Been Monday afternoon and he says he was shocked by the mayorâ€™s decision.

He says there was no attempt to cover-up the SWAT team report. In fact, he and Lori Fullbright discussed it last Thursday.

The News on 6 had filed an open record request for it the day before and asked him for it in person. He told Lori Fullbright, he could not release it because it was only a interim report and not public record, but he did tell the News on 6, he'd already accepted the SWAT captain's resignation and appointed a new captain to take over and he expected more resignations this week.

The News on 6 had also asked the Mayor's office for the report, three times on Friday and again Monday, but got no response.

Police Chief Been sent us a statement that says in part, "Mayor Bill LaFortune was fully informed of the audit and approved the contract." He said he received five copies of the report on February 10th and gave them to the SWAT team's chain of command to review. He said the report was common knowledge within the department and was delivered to the Mayor's chief of staff immediately when it was requested on February 15th.

Chief Been will remain on leave with pay until an investigation can be conducted.