Tulsa Police Push to Make Hispanics Aware of Rapist Threat

Tulsa Police officers are especially urging the hispanic community to come forward with any clues that could help catch the serial rapist.<br/><br/>One bilingual officer is working to make sure spanish

Monday, October 17th 2005, 6:30 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police officers are especially urging the hispanic community to come forward with any clues that could help catch the serial rapist.

One bilingual officer is working to make sure spanish speaking members of the community know about this case, so they don't become the next victim.

News on 6 reporter Omar Villafranca caught up with the officer as he spread the word about the rapist.

Officer Jesse Guardiola thinks the local hispanic community has some tips that could catch Tulsa's serial rapist.

The only problem is they're too afraid to talk to the police.

He's at a Spanish newspaper's office, giving them information on the rapist.

Guardiola hopes they'll read the paper, and get over the fear of talking to officers.

Francisco Trevino with Hispano De Tulsa says fear is just one of the problems.

"There is a lot of undocumented people here in Tulsa to begin with, and alot of them are afraid," Trevino says.

"It's not in their culture. You know in Mexico they don't have that relationship with the police and so when they come here they think it might be the same, and it's not, and it just take some time."

Ofc Jesse Guardiola, Tulsa Police: "If they're not calling forward, then one, you have victims that obviously aren't being helped, and two, we're not getting information that could be key in breaking this case."

Besides going to newspapers and radio stations, Officer Guardiola is talking to the hispanic community face-to-face at businesses and restaurants.

In East Tulsa, police are encouraging business owners to display composite sketches of the rapist, hoping someone recognizes him.

But time is exactly what Officer Guardiola doesn't have.

"I mean, this is something you can do 8:00 to 5:00, all week, 40 plus hours because this is an outlet that needs to be addressed and we're doing it."

As long as the serial rapist is loose, Guardiola says he'll keep asking the Hispanic community for clues.

He just hopes they'll answer him before the rapist strikes again.