TULSA - The amount of crime plaguing the city recently had caught a lot of people's attention lately, making a conversation at a mental health symposium very relevant Friday.
“You took somebody away I mean, the girl was young, she didn’t do nothing to nobody," said Sade Commander whose friend Brittany Green was stabbed to death in east Tulsa a few weeks ago.
She sat on the steps of her friend's apartment, that's now empty.
“Every single homicide that happens in this city I feel it personally," said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum.
The city facing some of the most shocking crimes recently.
A 16-year-old charged with taking a father's life in front of his kids, and a man found dead in a car on the highway.
“No one’s more frustrated right now with crime in Tulsa than I am," he said.
He faced a crowd Friday to assure them he's working on it.
“I think when all is said and done with this Tulsa’s going to be a national model for community policing.”
He wants citizens to work with police for a safer Tulsa.
TPD using Officer Popsey Floyd as a model.
His work at 61st and Peoria widely known.
“All of our police officers are going to be community police officers, that’s the key," said Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan.
He said while some crime categories are down, it'll take more officers and teamwork to tackle violent crime.
“We’re going to involve the community more in solving crime problems and preventing crime.”
Tulsa Resident Stephen Williams said he's heard this before.
“Why are we still having the same discussion?”
Voicing his skepticism with the Tulsa Policing Commission's 77 recommendations to implement community policing.
“The chief said it himself, he said it’s not our job to deescalate. That’s a pretty serious statement.”
He said if police and citizens are going to work together it starts with one thing.
“I believe it requires mutual accountability.”
You can read about the commission's recommendations and check progress here.
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