In a decisive move to maintain law enforcement coverage on interstates within Oklahoma's major metro areas, Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a binding opinion today, effectively halting the Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s (OHP) previously expressed intentions to cease patrols in several urban regions. The announcement, which comes as a critical assurance of public safety, was prompted by a request from state Sen. Mark Mann and outlined in a formal opinion obtained by the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.
Drummond's ruling notably underscores the OHP’s legal obligation to maintain its presence along Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and several other metropolitan areas, citing the mandatory duty imposed by Title 47, section 2-117(D)(2) of Oklahoma statute. Despite acknowledging OHP’s concerns regarding the need for additional resources in rural areas of the state, Drummond stressed that their primary law enforcement remit "cannot be abdicated in favor of local law enforcement, either in urban or rural areas," as stated in the opinion by the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office. His office’s findings confirm an undeniable commitment to the overarching safeguarding of Oklahoma's populous regions.
The Attorney General has communicated extensively with local law enforcement leaders, who stand firmly opposed to any withdrawal by the OHP that would potentially leave the interstates within their jurisdictions less secure. In a gesture of collaborative spirit, Drummond, expressed his appreciation for their dedication to "protecting and serving.” This open dialogue stands in stark contrast to the OHP leadership or the Department of Public Safety, which he asserts, did not consult his office regarding their proposed pullback from metropolitan patrols.
"The most fundamental function of government is to provide public safety for its citizens," Drummond said to Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, highlighting the weight of the matter. He offered an olive branch, signaling his willingness to work with OHP leadership and Secretary Everest, to devise a strategy that aligns with legal expectations, and crucially, upholds the security of "all four million Oklahomans." This sentiment of unity amidst institutional disagreement underscores the Attorney General’s prioritization of the public interest above internal administrative dissonance, an assurance that Oklahoma's residents are not to be compromised by jurisdictional retrenchment.
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