TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa police and city leaders are launching a new patrol division focused on entertainment districts that have experienced rapid growth, and a corresponding rise in crime.
The Tulsa Police Department will restructure to create a fourth patrol division covering downtown, the Arts and Greenwood districts, the Gathering Place, and Cherry Street.
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Tulsa police announce new division, will cover downtown areas
Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen said the move comes after more than a year of conversations with residents and business owners.
WATCH: 'STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION': Tulsa businesses react to new patrol division
"For more than a year, we've been meeting with the community members and business owners who told us they wanted more visible public safety presence in downtown," Larsen said.
Larsen and Mayor Monroe Nichols point to significant investment and population growth in the area as driving factors behind the decision.
"There's nearly 2 billion dollars invested in downtown since 2008. More than 3000 new residential units," Larsen said.
But growth has also brought crime. Last summer, several shootings hit the area, including one Tulsa police say left one person dead and seven injured. The city implemented a curfew ordinance preventing minors from loitering downtown between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
Previous Coverage>>>CURFEW EXTENDED: Tulsa Council votes to extend curfew for one year
Nichols said short-term measures were always meant to be paired with a longer-term strategy.
"But understand we did these things knowing that we needed longer-term strategies to make sure downtown, and the entire city remains safe," Nichols said.
"It feels like a step in the right direction," Grant Maxey, the manager of Kilkenny's Irish Pub on Cherry Street, said.
Maxey said the added police presence will be a relief for employees who close late.
“The bartenders are leaving at 3:00 a.m. Managers are leaving at 3:00 a.m. So it’s, there are some late nights, and there are some areas that aren't as well-lit, like the parking lots and stuff like that. You just, you know, so it'll be nice to have that extra level of layer of protection," Maxey said.
Maxey, whose pub is known for drawing large crowds, described the atmosphere as manageable but busy.
"We call it organized chaos and controlled chaos. You just take it one step at a time, and you just try to get people fed and keep them happy, so yeah, it's fun," Maxey said.
He said the timing of the new division is welcome, especially with major events on the horizon.
"I think it will improve things a million times. We shut down the whole street, and we have a block party. We have live music, so there are tons of people here on St.Patty's Day, and just having that extra layer of protection and security and patrol. I think that will be a really good thing," Maxey said.
TPD currently has 170 sworn personnel, from officers to supervisors, at each division. The change is a restructure, not new hires. The fourth division is set to open in August.
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