TULSA, Okla. -- Tulsa police say violence is pretty common in the area of 61st and Peoria, but things are starting to change.
Officer Popsey Floyd has acted as the Community Resource Officer for the neighborhood over the last six months. In that time, he's already noticing a difference.
"Seeing them out laughing, seeing the kids smiling, we know things are changing. And we want the outside community to see all the positive things that are going on inside this area," Floyd said.
Despite continued violent crime, the "Ignite the Change" movement is a way residents are creating accountability for themselves. They plan to come together in early November. In the meantime, the movement is a way of living day to day.
"It takes a community saying "You know what? Enough is enough. We're going to stand up and not allow people to sell drugs in our neighborhood. We're not going to allow people to throw trash on the ground, we're going to pick it up. We're going to take pride in this area because when someone drives through here they see what they see on the news," Floyd said.
On days when officers do respond to violent crime, they're noticing a different response from the community.
"When we do have a shooting everyone is coming out and saying this is what I've seen, this is what I know. That's a big step. So we're starting to see change. It's a small step, but still a step in the right direction," Floyd said.
The "Ignite the Change" event will be at Johnson Park from 2-5 p.m. on Nov. 4.
Police said word of mouth is already helping to reduce crime, but they hope this will have a larger impact.
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