Last week, Mayor Nichols approved a budget amendment for a grant awarded to the Tulsa Police Department that will enhance the capacity of local law enforcement to address and prevent violent crimes.

The $400,000 Safe Oklahoma Grant, courtesy of the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, reaffirms the City of Tulsa’s commitment to public safety and community well-being.

"Every Tulsan deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood and this grant provides us with the resources to intensify our fight against violent crimes while protecting our most vulnerable citizens,” Mayor Nichols said. “I am thankful the Tulsa Police Department was selected for this award as we work to make Tulsa one of the safest big cities in America."

Tulsa was one of 58 local law enforcement agencies to receive the grant. The funds will support targeted crime reduction efforts by providing overtime for existing personnel across specialized units.

“This grant will help fund some of the most vital operations we have within the Tulsa Police Department,” said Laurel Roberts, the City’s Commissioner of Public Safety. “I want to thank the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office and the leadership at the Tulsa Police Department for recognizing the need we have in Tulsa for addressing and putting to justice some of our most violent criminals.”

Specific allocations include:

"I'm thrilled that the Tulsa Police Department has been awarded the $400,000 Safe Oklahoma Grant, which will significantly enhance our efforts to combat violent crime and protect our community,” Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen said. “This funding will provide critical support to our highly specialized units, including the Crime Gun and Strategic Intervention Unit, Vice-Narcotics, and Human Trafficking Units, among others. I want to thank the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office for recognizing the importance of this work and for their ongoing partnership in our mission to keep Tulsa safe. With this grant, we'll be able to intensify our focus on reducing crime and promoting public safety, and I'm confident that it will make a tangible difference in the lives of our citizens."

Established in 2012, the Attorney General’s Safe Oklahoma Grant Program is funded by an annual appropriation from the state legislature and is available to local law enforcement agencies and sheriff's offices across Oklahoma.

Grants are awarded for a one-year period to support strategies aimed at reducing crime and promoting public safety. More information about this year’s award recipients can be found online.