21 Tulsa Police Officer are Laid Off

[TheKansan]

http://www.kjrh.com/news/local/story/Twenty-one-Tulsa-Police-Officers-hand-in-their/xAdpU1uMh0CY6pmYa4n7dg.cspx

Twenty-one Tulsa Police Officers hand in their badges following layoff

Twenty-one officers turned in their equipment on Wednesday after learning they were laid off. The city says the budget is to blame. We watched as they emptied their cars and turned in their badges. They say they simply don't understand.

Shawn Kite is one of those officers. He says, "I wanted to help people. It is a job I thought was fascinating and interesting." Kite has wanted to be a tulsa police officer for as long as he can remember. His dream came true with the most recent academy class to graduate. He was thrilled. But Monday his dream was put on hold. He says, "It is not a regular job and it's not like I went through two weeks of training.. it's devastating."

Phillip Evans, the FOP President says, "Tulsa has never laid off crime fighters before and we're trying to help them get through it as well as we can." A few of the officers have babies on the way and insurance is key. Evans says, "Right now our fop insurance trust is looking for a way to take care of their insurance until they are hired back or take another job."

Another blow to the department is that the horses will no longer be a part of the force. The helicopters will also be grounded. It is a tough reality for these officers as they take steps into the unknown. They hope while this door closes, another will open.

The police union says there are talks that the Tulsa Public School Police Department could hire some of the officers. Also, a few officers are trying to raise enough money to pay the city to keep the officers on. The city has requested permission to use federal a grant to re-hire 18 of the 21 officers. Police say it may take months to find out if that will be allowed.

[SleepyCop]

I guess no profession is "recession proof".

-SC

[JasperST]

I'd sure like to take a look at their social programs. The first order of business of a government is law and order, not the last.

[YankeeWhite]

It's not ideal, but any Tulsa officer affected can PM me - we need more Federal 83s at my installation which is an hour away. It's not glorious, but its LE (technically) and it's (relatively) close to home.

[damode1985]

Bumping this up to help out the officers.

Good looking out Yankeewhite

[TwistLockSSD]

Try 118 Deputies and another 30 non-sworn in Sacramento County...

Been a rough year in CA

[YankeeWhite]

We're all in it together.

[deputynok]

we are building a new downtown ball park though and don't worry the current administration knows better than to run for mayor again.

[SgtCHP]

Perhaps, if their union/association or bargaining unit offered a 10% cut in salary for a six month or twelve month period of time, the city would save enough money to retain those positions. Many agencies in CA are doing that very thing to avoid layoffs. Something to ponder.

[TheKansan]

Perhaps, if their union/association or bargaining unit offered a 10% cut in salary for a six month or twelve month period of time, the city would save enough money to retain those positions. Many agencies in CA are doing that very thing to avoid layoffs. Something to ponder.

Good suggestion, but I have been keeping my eye on this story for a while, and only a few months ago, the Tulsa PD FOP agreed to furloughs to help avoid layoffs. So they already took a big pay deduction with the promise it would save jobs, and that was all a lie.

http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=10666837

Tulsa Police Choose Furloughs Over Layoffs
Posted: Jul 08, 2009 8:51 PM CDT

TULSA, OK -- The union approved their contract with the city, meaning officers will have to take eight days off without pay. The alternative would have left 48 officers without a job so the department could stay on budget.

Fraternal Order of Police members approved the contract, but not without a warning for Tulsans. Some officers say either way the vote went tonight, there would be fewer officers on the street, and citizens will pay the price.

Officers began voting Tuesday at precincts across the city, forced to choose between what they say are the lesser of two evils.

"We felt we were met with ultimatums: come up with money or we're laying off officers, and that scared a lot of people. I'm not going to lie to you, that scared a lot of people," said Sgt. Shane Tuell of the Tulsa Police Department.

Diminishing sales tax revenue means tough times for every city department, including police. The city needed to cut $1.7 million from the TPD's budget - either through furloughs or layoffs.

Officers who voted to approve the contract agreed to eight furlough days over the next year. That is roughly equivalent to a 3% pay cut.

But voting no would have meant firing as many as 50 officers.

In a statement released this evening, FOP Lodge 93 President Phil Evans said the citizens of Tulsa are the real winners because the City will retain the officers.

"The citizens will maintain 48 Tulsa police officers which means the same officers are on the streets. The bad news is there are over 52,000 total hours in which the citizens are losing some type of protection," said Evans.

Related Story 7/8/2009: Police Fear Contract Will Cost Citizen Safety

The contract will remain in effect until June, 2010.

[Nobody]

http://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/

[JasperST]

Obama and his liberals at it again.... when will the madness stop?

If it wasn't for the libs and their big government we wouldn't need "stimulus" money in the first place.

[Jenners]

Geez. I know a Tulsa officer, I hope he wasn't part of the cut. Any here currently on the force who I could PM and find out???

[DAL]

If it wasn't for the libs and their big government we wouldn't need "stimulus" money in the first place.

This isn't China or Russia, so revisionist history is not in order.

The stimulus bill was enacted under Bush, whose administration supported it. Bush also appointed all the regulators who failed to prevent the lending excesses and finance practices that led to the debacle. The government grew considerably under Bush. I would say that both parties share the blame for recession.

I expect Democrats to waste money. When I voted for Republicans, I expected them to exercise financial restraint. I feel betrayed by the Republicans, who behaved like Democrats.

[JasperST]

This isn't China or Russia, so revisionist history is not in order.

The stimulus bill was enacted under Bush, whose administration supported it. Bush also appointed all the regulators who failed to prevent the lending excesses and finance practices that led to the debacle. The government grew considerably under Bush. I would say that both parties share the blame for recession.

I said libs, not Democrats. Bush very much was too liberal fiscally, but all that was voted in by a majority left leaning congress. A conservative congress wouldn't have caved into the demands put on Bush. Notice, I said conservative, not Republican.

There was way too much government involved in the housing market, for one. Freddie and Fanny were guaranteeing loans to a trillion dollars. That was not a conservative move. And it went right on down the line. Big government was the problem and bigger government is going to make it even worse.

I expect Democrats to waste money. When I voted for Republicans, I expected them to exercise financial restraint. I feel betrayed by the Republicans, who behaved like Democrats.

Agreed.