A mayor’s advisory committee and Tulsa Public Schools team up to build relationships between students and police.
State Sen. Kevin Matthews said it’s a good chance for the students and officers to start seeing each other as real people.
"The deputy chief, just in the back, we go to church together, so I see him as a church member," Matthews said. "And so, I believe the goal today — and what we support — is these type of positive relations."
The Mayor’s Police and Community Coalition and TPS team up for the youth forum. Students also learn why they might be stopped by police, how to behave during police stops and ways to avoid gang involvement.
"Of course, these police officers will also benefit from spending time with you," TPS Chief of Staff Paula Shannon told students. "Today, you're the experts. You're the ones who know your peers and your school communities best, and you can help Tulsa police officers better understand your needs and the needs of your school communities and your communities at large."
Around a dozen schools sent student delegations to the forum. Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan thinks the annual youth forum is important, and not just because it could make officers’ jobs easier.
"I'm in the presence of our leaders of our community in our future," Jordan said. "The next mayor could very well be in this group. The next chief of police could very well be in this group."
Each school’s delegation got a chance to talk with individual officers.
