Mayor Nichols Reflects On First Week, Plans For Public Safety And Homelessness

Mayor Monroe Nichols discussed his first week in office, focusing on public safety investments and homelessness initiatives.

Wednesday, December 11th 2024, 10:27 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. -

It's been just over a week since Mayor Monroe Nichols was sworn in as Tulsa's 41st mayor. He joined News On 6's Dave Davis in the studio to talk about his first week in office.

Q: How has it been, week number one?

A: It's been great. It's been great. You know, I spent a lot of time with city employees and department heads, and I can tell you the citizens of Tulsa are well-served by the folks working at City Hall and in our city facilities across the community. It's been great to be part of the team, and I'm excited about the future.

Q: What have you been working on? I know it’s only been 10 days, but what have you started on?

A: Yeah, I mean, we’ve been working on getting the mayor’s office staffed up to serve citizens well from the top. We’ve also announced a couple of public safety investments, including testing backlogged rape kits and addressing violent crime and drugs in our community. We announced those just yesterday. It’s been a busy week—about $3 million is going into public safety, with more to come.

Q: Let’s backtrack a little to the inauguration. What were some standout moments, things you'll never forget?

A: I’ll never forget being on stage with my son, who’s 16 years old. I think he was mostly excited about getting out of school for the day, so it was a big treat for him. For me, it was a major moment. My family was there—my mom, and relatives who traveled from Texas. Seeing so many young people at the inauguration was amazing. It was incredible to see the community coming together.

Q: You’ve created some new positions, including a Public Safety Commissioner. Former TPD Major—Laurel Roberts will fill that role. What is the job and why is it so important?

A: It’s critically important. During my campaign, I talked about making Tulsa the safest big city in the country. Laurel Roberts brings 29 years of experience with TPD, including leading the Riverside division. She also has a well-rounded background, from serving on the board of the Day Center to managing city resources. Her role will coordinate public safety across police, fire, EMSA, municipal court, and animal control. She’s already doing an amazing job.

Q: TPD just received a $400,000 Safe Oklahoma grant to prevent violent crimes. We touched on some funding earlier—what will this grant be used for?

A: During the campaign, I emphasized targeting violent crime and repeat offenders. This grant supports our gang unit and narcotics work, allowing us to focus on the small group of individuals committing most of the crime. It’s about using resources strategically to make Tulsa safer. Partnering with the AG’s office on this is a big step, and we’re going to do amazing work.

Q: Another issue you’ve addressed is homelessness. You’ve said by 2030, Tulsa won’t need a senior advisor on homelessness. What does that look like, and is it possible?

A: It’s absolutely possible. Emily Hall, our current senior advisor on homelessness, is leading the charge. We’re expanding alternative response teams to address issues downtown and eventually citywide. We’re evaluating city assets for low-barrier shelters and preparing the ResCare facility for a decommissioning program. We’re also planning a significant expansion of affordable housing—6,000 new units in four years. With opioid settlement funds, we’ll support these efforts. It’s an aggressive approach, but we’re going to deliver for Tulsans.

Q: Mike Miller will be the new city administrator. Can you tell us about him?

A: Mike’s great. He’s been the city manager in Muskogee for 16 years, including eight years in the role. He’ll oversee City Hall operations, working with department heads to solve problems, save taxpayer money, and deliver high-performance outcomes.