TULSA, Okla. — One downtown bar owner fears for the safety of musicians and customers, saying downtown is becoming unsafe.
“Man, I hate to see the path that we’re on. I don’t think it’s anything we can’t overcome,” Brandon Frazier, owner of Lounge 88 said.
2 News Oklahoma reached out to him after he made a Facebook post bemoaning downtown’s safety.
“We’ve increased our security, we’ve started hiring CLEET-certified armed security, and all that just to try to keep patrons and staff safe,” Frazier said.
The signature dueling piano shows are now just one night a month. Frazier fears for the safety of the musicians.
WATCH: 'Hate to see the path we're on' | Downtown bar owner bemoans crime
“Since the last incident that occurred down here, we’ve seen a significant decrease in reservations,” Frazier said.
THE LAST INCIDENT >>> A shooting took place near 2nd and Elgin, killing one person
Those accused of the shooting near 2nd and Elgin took action in a well-lit area, and just feet away from Tulsa police officers. “They did not care about all that,” Captain Richard Meulenberg IV said.
Meulenberg, with TPD, said officers recognize the perception, but he noted crime remained steady month over month.
“We need more officers in downtown,” Frazier said.
Meulenberg said 20 officers are assigned downtown every weekend. The Gilcrease Division, which polices downtown, has approximately 140 officers, total, on staff.
“Let’s get to know [those officers], let’s get to know how we can collectively solve this problem,” Meulenberg said.
Frazier said Tulsa's youth are causing many of the problems, “It’s a lot of underage, that aren’t in the bars, they’re in the parking lots and the streets. And it leads us to having a lot of problems outside of the bars, that make our patrons feel unsafe.”
Tulsa’s curfew ordinance is for kids 17 and under:
- Sunday through Thursday it's 11 p.m.
- Friday & Saturday it's Midnight
Meulenberg said officers can’t reasonably ID anyone who might look young; it takes a crime to really get officers involved.
“If they’re violating a law, well, we’re happy to take care of that, we’re happy to investigate that, that’s our job,” he said, “You know, obviously, sometimes, we get busy, we have to prioritize things based on the need … we’re gonna go to high priority, life-threatening calls first.”
One way or the other, Frazier is looking for a solution, "We would love to see the bar owners, the business owners, the police department, the city hall, everyone work in unison."
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