TULSA, Okla. — When Tulsa Police arrested James Brown for stabbing a woman on Turkey Mountain, it caught the attention of the whole community, including city councilor Anthony Archie.
“I have a wife, I have children, and when I heard about this incident, I thought, oh my gosh, I never want that to happen to anyone in my family, especially out here in Tulsa,” Archie said.
A SCARY SCENE >>> 2 News covered the aftermath of the stabbing
He turned the fear into action.
“My commitment is, when there are issues in the city, that we gather the people together, who know what to do, we come up with a plan, and we execute on that plan, so that you and your family can be safe when you come out and enjoy amenities like Turkey Mountain,” Archie said.
WATCH: TURKEY MOUNTAIN: Councilor Archie leads effort to increase patrols on trails
Archie hosted a meeting with River Parks and law enforcement leaders to develop a plan for all the people who enjoy Turkey Mountain.
“In the early 2000s, I was out here two or three times a week, and you know,” Scott Zuege said, “Lately, it’s two or three times a month. But I’m not doing marathons or triathlons anymore, so it’s more for health benefits than training.”
2 News listened to Zuege at the base of the mountain.
“Situational awareness, you know … I hear bikers, and I hear runners, and I don’t use headphones,” Zuege said.
He feels a complete sense of safety at Turkey Mountain.
“There’s just enough people to where I feel safe and I even know if I had a physical problem that somebody would probably be along to help on it,” Zuege said.
THE PLAN
- According to Archie, beginning Sept 1, Tulsa Police will double its bike patrols on all River Parks trails.
- A new welcome center is set to open at Turkey Mountain. The opening of the center will bring with it more staff and, thus, more watchful eyes to the area.
Hundreds of thousands of people walk the trails annually, but few ever have to call the police.
“Of the calls that [Tulsa Police] receive – I looked at the data – less than five were for actual assaults,” Archie said.
Archie is putting high priority on the new measures, but the mountain is already safe as things stand.
“If the trails on Turkey Mountain were their own neighborhood, it would be the safest neighborhood in all of Tulsa,” according to crime data, Archie said.
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