April 11, 2022
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Oklahoma bill aims to unify top law enforcement agencies - KTUL

Exterior of the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations building. <p&gt{/p}
Exterior of the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations building. <p>{/p}

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Senate Bill 1612 would take the state’s top three law enforcement agencies and put them under the umbrella of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control are currently all separate law enforcement agencies.

But a bill authored by Senator Kim David and Representative Jon Echols believes those agencies would be much stronger if they worked together when it comes to retaining and recruiting.

Senator David was unavailable for an interview but while presenting the bill last month she agreed.

“What that also does is it helps with retention, recruitment, and retainment,” said Sen. Kim David R-District 8.

“What we’re looking to do,” David said, “Is create that career path for new agents that come up through the Highway Patrol to be able to move laterally through the other agencies if they want to be able to do that. It gives them the training necessary for that.”

NewsChannel 8 contacted each agency to find out how they felt about this bill, but only heard back from an Oklahoma Highway Patrol representative, who said OHP does not comment on bills.

On March 24 the state Senate passed SB 1612 with 37 votes.

But one of the six senators who voted against it was Majority Leader Greg McCortney.

Three calls to his office for comment were never returned.

According to a fiscal impact analysis, the biggest impact of SB 1612 will likely be personnel costs, but no dollar amount was given.

Plus, the bill also calls for the establishment of a mental wellness division.

The House Public Safety Committee will take up the bill tomorrow.



source: https://ktul.com/news/local/oklahoma-bill-aims-to-unify-top-law-enforcement-agencies

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