How Tulsa Police Officers Deal With Extreme Temperatures On The Job

This long stretch of heat in Green Country can take a toll on people, especially those who work outside, like police.

Tulsa Police say it can get extremely hot for officers working out in the field with all of the heavy gear they wear.

Police say there really isn't much they can change when it's this hot, when it comes to policy. They have a job to do and have to fight through the heat to respond to calls and keep people safe.

Police say no matter the weather conditions, the 911 calls are still coming in for all sorts of crimes or car wrecks and they have to respond.

They say officers have to find ways to stay cool and hydrated.

"We don't change any tactics. You know we aren't going to change any tactics to put ourselves or a citizen in danger. Nothing about that changes,” said Officer Danny Bean with Tulsa Police.

Police say they encourage officers to take breaks and sit in their cars when possible to cool down in the air conditioning.

All officers in the field are required to wear their vests and gear on their belts at all times and that can add 20 to 30 pounds, so sometimes officers will step inside coolers at convenience stores, to cool down quicker.

"Our approved uniforms are still approved, we don't have any kind of alteration we will make to them or be able to have a cooler shirt, or anything of the sort, like wear a different vest. There's nothing with our equipment we are going to swap out,” said Bean.

Police say they all keep an eye on each other and supervisors will be doing all they can to help.

"We will have water everywhere that we can get for us, cold towels, dry towels to wipe off, anything that we can use, again not without changing safety tactics, that are going to be able to keep us healthy,” said Bean.

Police give the same advice to people out in the community when its hot, as they do in the extreme cold.

They encourage people to always have water in your car in case you break down or get into a car accident.