carol, (6/8/2007 9:21:55 AM)

And where was another Officer when this life threatening situation was happening? I'll tell you where, NOT, and why? Because the new SO CALLED ACTING CHIEF has put a freeze on hiring new officers, (is it because he was brought in from out of state and does not understand the need of security in Tulsa )

The last academy will be end of the summer then where are the other 200/250 Officers that Tulsa is already short of going to come from ? Maybe the same place Taylor got him ? ( GOD, I hope not )The pay he is making could pay an additional four or five officers a year, but apparently the public has not been made aware of his astronomical pay.

These officers are putting there lives in danger every call they are summoned to because of the lack of back up officers, there just isn't enough Police to take care of Tulsa.

BR, Tulsa (6/8/2007 9:41:19 AM)

I don't really think it is a shortage of officers. One problem is that when a police emergency is called in, dispatch sends a call out to the police force and then whoever wants to take the call picks it up and does so whenever they want. Most of the time not immediately. This is not dispatch's fault but the way TPD chooses to do their assignments. The more excitement, the more police that respond, like a high-speed chase or a shooting and then dozens of extra, non-essential ones stand around.

Tulsa Fire on the other hand, responds differently.

If you call in a fire/medical emergency (which may not even be as life threatening a an ignored police emergency), TPD assigns a certain station or truck to respond and they MUST respond immediately, which they do. No waiting around until lunch or dinner is over or until they just decide to go. Our firefighters GO!

If our new acting police chief, and whomever will replace him in the future, would change the way assignments are made and actually MAKE our police officers respond immediately and show up on an assignment, I think we would see a reduction in crime and and increase in safety in our city.

A few months ago, we were at a stoplight and witnessed two men at a convenience store standing outside of a car and one was forcing a youung woman into his car. She was definitely struggling not to get in. Due to the stoplight and traffic we couldn't get to the parking lot in time. They drove off, we did follow while talking to TPD dispatch on the phone. We followed them around giving the streets they turned on to dispatch and then reported they were back at the convenience store. During this entire time, not one police car showed up in the area. We called back even and they said it hadn't been assigned yet. I guess a man forcing a woman into a car was not an incident anyone on duty wanted to pursue.

ME, Tulsa (6/8/2007 9:46:39 AM)

Officials were wanting to install GPS systems on our police cars so that they could see who was where. Some of our police officers have thrown a big fit over this. They don't want anyone to know where they are.

On more than one occassion there has been an officer parked in a warehouse area south of 11th Street between Sheridan and Memorial. He sits back in between 2 buildings, trying to stay out of sight I guess. One time due to the bright western sun, he had cardboard propped up on the outside of his car window to keep the sun out!

Jeff, (6/8/2007 10:16:20 AM)

Get these cops some UFC training so they handle themselves!!

Val, Tulsa (6/8/2007 10:23:10 AM)

I am originally from Augusta, GA and when a deputy receives a call, he/she is given 15 minutes tops to respond. If the call involves anything domestic, 2 deputies are sent to respond. Also, each deputy is given a specified beat to patrol so they are in the area at all times if a call is received nearby. Tulsa could learn a lot from the Sheriffs Department in Augusta.

Dacia, Tulsa (6/8/2007 11:45:59 AM)

Unless the call involves donuts and coffee then you will not find an officer anywhere in the area. Get robbed at a donut shop and see how quickly an officer responds. In January we were sitting at a stoplight and some guy turned right into us and drug his car all the way down our driver side, he told us we should have gotten out of his way and left the seen. I was 8.5 months pregnant and when he hit us it shook the car pretty hard. We called 911 and reported what had happened and that we watched the guy pull into a walmart parking lot. The dispatch told us to move out of the intersection and wait so we pulled into walmart parking lot and found the car that hit us and sit there and waited for cops to show up. The guy was in the store for 30 minutes and then came out, got in his car and left. We called dispatch back and they told us that the officer was still 45 minutes away and that we had to wait for him to show up. Well needless to say by time the officer finally showed up the driver was long gone. We took lots of pictures of his car while he was in the store and of the tag and all the damage. Needless to say the tag was not register, so there was no trace of him. When my husband asked what would be done they said well it is your responsibility to get the car fixed now. Hello it and run. We also found that a hit and run is a misdemeanor even when it involves injury as it did in our case. What I am getting at is these cops we have now are rude, hateful, and care nothing about the citizens of this city. I wish I could get paid all that money to sit around and eat donuts all day.

Dacia, Tulsa (6/8/2007 11:48:28 AM)

Unless the call involves donuts and coffee then you will not find an officer anywhere in the area. Get robbed at a donut shop and see how quickly an officer responds. In January we were sitting at a stoplight and some guy turned right into us and drug his car all the way down our driver side, he told us we should have gotten out of his way and left the seen. I was 8.5 months pregnant and when he hit us it shook the car pretty hard. We called 911 and reported what had happened and that we watched the guy pull into a walmart parking lot. The dispatch told us to move out of the intersection and wait so we pulled into walmart parking lot and found the car that hit us and sit there and waited for cops to show up. The guy was in the store for 30 minutes and then came out, got in his car and left. We called dispatch back and they told us that the officer was still 45 minutes away and that we had to wait for him to show up. Well needless to say by time the officer finally showed up the driver was long gone. We took lots of pictures of his car while he was in the store and of the tag and all the damage. Needless to say the tag was not register, so there was no trace of him. When my husband asked what would be done they said well it is your responsibility to get the car fixed now. Hello it and run. We also found that a hit and run is a misdemeanor even when it involves injury as it did in our case. What I am getting at is these cops we have now are rude, hateful, and care nothing about the citizens of this city. I wish I could get paid all that money to sit around and eat donuts all day.

Paula, (6/8/2007 11:48:54 AM)

What the public does not know is that there are only some many officers in each area which has been established by the the city based on population and and other factors. Each call has a priority put on it. If you would like to learn about what our officers go through I would suggest that you consider going through the Tulsa Citizen Police Academy.

Fed Up with Pigs, (6/8/2007 12:10:17 PM)

Tulsa cops are a JOKE. All they do is write tickets and harass people for no reason. That is if they aren't killing innocent immigrants who don't understand why they are being chased. Way to go TPD, that is one way to keep illegal immigrants from migrating to Tulsa.

Lisa, Tulsa (6/8/2007 12:50:15 PM)

Yea, I agree most officers are a joke especially the ones that are punching juvenile kids in the eyes and having the dogs attack others when they are not resisting I'm with you Fed up with Pigs GOOD JOB TPD!!!!

Beth, Tulsa (6/8/2007 12:54:36 PM)

I just don't get all this police bashing here! This officer is a true hero for protecting a woman from assault. Y'all here are true crazies!

Mike, Tulsa (6/8/2007 12:59:37 PM)

In the 3 years I've lived in Tulsa, I have called the police once during a hit-and-run. The officer arrived in 30 minutes and filed a report. No action was taken against the other driver, even though we got the tag number. Sometime the system is funny that way. Overall, I have had a positive experience with TPD, but would like to see more officers hired for patrol. Do Tulsa Co. Sheriff's Deputies patrol the city?

Beth, Tulsa (6/8/2007 12:59:42 PM)

And another thing (I wasn't quite finished) -- one of you might find yourself needing protection someday from other crazies like yourselves. I hope the officer who responds doesn't have your attitude, which is, to criticize & find fault where it is NOT warranted.

Mike, Tulsa (6/8/2007 1:10:17 PM)

If your free, thank a veteran!

If your safe, thank a cop!

Thank you TPD!

Paul Casteel, Tulsa (6/8/2007 2:07:49 PM)

Thanks Kevin. For all of you complaining about the dirty rotten no good scumbags who serve in uniform to protect the American way of life, you may be partly right. No system is perfect, especially a really big system like TPD. They could use some improvement. Who couldn't? If you really believe all cops are crazy, evil fiends, I have a suggestion. No more cops. No more laws. No more rules. All you rule-hating liberal types can run around naked and howl at the moon if you want. That is, unless someone bigger and tougher than you decides you can't do that anymore and stomps you into the ground. Who'd be there to stop him. There won't be anyone to protect you if you get your way. If you want us to revert to the "survival of the fittest" mentality, buddy, you better start getting in shape...

Paul Casteel, Tulsa (6/8/2007 2:09:32 PM)

Thanks Kevin. For all of you complaining about the dirty rotten no good scumbags who serve in uniform to protect the American way of life, you may be partly right. No system is perfect, especially a really big system like TPD. They could use some improvement. Who couldn't? If you really believe all cops are crazy, evil fiends, I have a suggestion. No more cops. No more laws. No more rules. All you rule-hating liberal types can run around naked and howl at the moon if you want. That is, unless someone bigger and tougher than you decides you can't do that anymore and stomps you into the ground. Who'd be there to stop him. There won't be anyone to protect you if you get your way. If you want us to revert to the "survival of the fittest" mentality, buddy, you better start getting in shape...

Ponch, (6/8/2007 2:17:07 PM)

I LIKE DONUTS!! ---> TO KRISPY KREME

Deidre, Bristow (6/8/2007 2:50:09 PM)

THANK YOU TPD, AND ALL OFFICERS! I'd like to see the day the police-bashers put on a uniform and risk their lives every day for someone else's safety.

GT, Tulsa (6/8/2007 3:38:14 PM)

Hey, the donut jokes are SOOOO original! Good going, you hateful, ungrateful people.

BTW, an injury accident means you went to the hospital with real injuries. Obviously, you did not, Dacia. You were out of the street and safe. That does not make it a high priority call.

Also, YES dispatch gives the calls to certain officers. You think officers hear calls and just ignore them? Get your information right! If the ones in the area are busy, which may be 2-4 officers, officers from other areas have to come over and take care of the call, if there is an officer to do that. Since there IS a shortage in officers, the citizens will wait longer for response time. That's just how it is.

Officer Collins, Tulsa (6/8/2007 4:37:31 PM)

I am the officer who was in the article. I am sorry for the slow response time that some of you got to your calls, but dispatch prioritizes the calls and assigns them to us. We take the highest priority calls first such as life threatening situations. Most officers are polite and we respond as quickly as we can. I rarely take a lunch break, so I will be available to take a call at any time.

As to the call last night, my backer was in route to me, but I felt that the woman was in danger, so I couldn't wait. We swear an oath when we become police officers to lay down our life if need be to protect others. Last night, I almost did. There were four citizens standing around watching while the suspect was trying to push me over the railing. Thanks to God, I was able to overcome the suspect and no one was injured except for me. I am proud to serve the people of Tulsa as a Tulsa Police Officer. We have some of the highest standards in the nation just to be hired, and also some of the best training in the nation.

Sincerely,

Officer Collins

Officer Collins, Tulsa (6/8/2007 4:39:25 PM)

I am the officer who was in the article. I am sorry for the slow response time that some of you got to your calls, but dispatch prioritizes the calls and assigns them to us. We take the highest priority calls first such as life threatening situations. Most officers are polite and we respond as quickly as we can. I rarely take a lunch break, so I will be available to take a call at any time.

As to the call last night, my backer was in route to me, but I felt that the woman was in danger, so I couldn't wait. We swear an oath when we become police officers to lay down our life if need be to protect others. Last night, I almost did. There were four citizens standing around watching while the suspect was trying to push me over the railing. Thanks to God, I was able to overcome the suspect and no one was injured except for me. I am proud to serve the people of Tulsa as a Tulsa Police Officer. We have some of the highest standards in the nation just to be hired, and also some of the best training in the nation.

Sincerely,

Officer Collins

Kevin, Tulsa (6/8/2007 4:42:33 PM)

Todd,

No reason to explain yourself. Anyone in blue would have done the same thing. I appluad what you did and am glad to hear your ok.

Officer Collins, Tulsa (6/8/2007 4:55:24 PM)

I am the officer who was in the article. I am sorry for the slow response time that some of you got to your calls, but dispatch prioritizes the calls and assigns them to us. We take the highest priority calls first such as life threatening situations. Most officers are polite and we respond as quickly as we can. I rarely take a lunch break, so I will be available to take a call at any time.

As to the call last night, my backer was in route to me, but I felt that the woman was in danger, so I couldn't wait. We swear an oath when we become police officers to lay down our life if need be to protect others. Last night, I almost did. There were four citizens standing around watching while the suspect was trying to push me over the railing. Thanks to God, I was able to overcome the suspect and no one was injured except for me. I am proud to serve the people of Tulsa as a Tulsa Police Officer. We have some of the highest standards in the nation just to be hired, and also some of the best training in the nation.

Sincerely,

Officer Collins

JS, Tulsa (6/8/2007 5:15:11 PM)

Ok, for those of you who are bashing the PD and have had enough training on TV to know how to do their job, why don't you ride with an officer one shift? I did it, it was a hoot. YOUR LIBERAL BLIND EYES WILL BE OPENED, mine were and I'm pretty moderate.

Ernie Sheets, (6/8/2007 5:42:18 PM)

Before any of you get on here with your opinions, learn how to spell. YOU'RE embarrassing.

There are a few good cops. Most are lazy.