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Tulsa City Council equality meeting

Posted at 5:02 PM, Jun 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-22 23:18:14-04

In a meeting that many felt was years in the making, neighbors were able to have their concerns heard about inequality in Tulsa.

The Tulsa City Council held a special meeting in response to the equality indicator.

About a dozen people signed up to speak at the meeting, and the overall consensus was they didn't want this to be a two-sided issue. Instead, they wanted to look for a problem, and identify a solution,

The discussion began with concerns about use-of-force training, and transitioned to input from a law enforcement perspective.

Some who spoke throughout the meeting touched on the importance of learning the history of the problem.

They mentioned deep-seeded racism in society, and warned to not simply look at the signs and symptoms we see today.

Many shared personal stories of being falsely accused, and even jailed.

But at the end of the four-hour meeting, everyone was in agreement they want to work together for a positive change.

Darryl Bright, a Tulsa resident, tells us " you get the results that you're getting because of a certain world view, a certain culture, that's predicated on the vision of how you see Tulsa, how you see law enforcement in Tulsa."

From the law enforcement side Sgt. Dave Walker, retired Tulsa Police, said "when the gentleman said racism is the issue I agree. Law enforcement has to change and say racism is bad, I agree, but the community needs to say racism is bad too."

The meeting also served as a kickoff for four forums that will take place throughout the summer.

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