TULSA, Okla. — Living on the streets is hard enough. Living on the streets as a crime victim is worse.
“I don’t think it’s particularly compassionate, just to be fine with people sitting outside, being victims of some predatory behavior,” Mayor Monroe Nichols said during an Aug. 1 meeting, addressing newly placed boulders at the Denver Ave. bus station.
2 NEWS WAS THERE >>> See what Mayor Nichols had to say about the boulders
2 News Oklahoma’s Brodie Myers followed up with Tulsa Police.
“Whether it’s a disturbance, or drug activity, or anything of that nature, it does draw a lot of our attention down there,” Captain Richard Meulenberg, with the Tulsa Police Department, said.
WATCH: ONGOING CONVERSATIONS: Crime at downtown Tulsa bus stop
Meulenberg confirmed the Mayor’s sentiments; the bus stop is a hot spot for crime.
“What you’re gonna have … is anytime you have a grouping of people who are kind of at risk, either being unhoused, or maybe have some mental health issues, you’re gonna have predators come around, to try to take advantage of that somehow,” Meulenberg said.
Tulsa Police arrested Bennie Pettigrew, on July 29, for dealing drugs at the bus station. Just one of many incidents throughout the month.
“In the month of July, we’ve had over 120 calls there,” Meulenberg said.
Those numbers “Don’t surprise,” Demarco Robertson, “But I would say they are gonna do that at any part of the city though.”
MORE STATS
The City of Tulsa gave insight into the nature of some of the 120 calls to the bus station in July 2025.
| Disturbance | 19 |
| Trespassing/Ongoing Crime | 17 |
| Drugs | 3 |
| Assault | 3 |
| Fighting | 2 |
| Vandalism | 2 |
| Indecent Exposure | 1 |
| Stabbing | 1 |
| Larceny | 1 |
| Drug Overdose | 1 |
“What we would recommend is that if you have this spidey sense tingling, try to get some distance. Try to get away from that situation,” Meulenberg said.
Robertson echoes that advice.
“I’d be the bigger person, I guess. I’d just walk away. I don't like a lot of confusion … confrontation," Robertson said.
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