Tulsa Police Vote Layoffs
The Tulsa Fraternal Order of Police voted tuesday to reject Mayor Dewey Bartlett’s alternative proposal to meet the city’s budget.
Bartlett’s budget proposals were designed to give the the option to choose where the imminent cuts would be to the police department, salaries or jobs. They chose the latter.
The city of Tulsa is undergoing budgetary shortfalls at a critical scale and the mayor’s office is working on adjustments to city spending in order to get the budget under control. City offices across the board are feeling the effects of the shortfalls.
Bartlett released a statement not long after the vote saying he feels the police have that the citizens of Tulsa down. “We gave the union an option with salary concessions and no layoffs and unfortunately they chose to layoff several of their fellow police officers. It has been our intent all along to address public safety first and foremost and live within our means as a city.
This was the best offer for the safety of the people of Tulsa. The union has decided to put their interest ahead of those they serve. This is regretable. Given their decision, we do not foresee any problems with being able to provide the public safety our citizens deserve. The people of Tulsa were let down tonight by the very people they hired and trained to protect them.”
Updated 01-28-2010
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- — d rudolph Jan 28, 08:48 PM #
