Calling the proposed purchase of an armored vehicle a “two-edged sword,” Norman City Council member Robert Castleberry asked for a postponement until a full council can be present on Aug. 25.
“This is a major policy and I think it deserves to have a full council to hear it,” Castleberry told council members on Tuesday.
Castleberry said he has had several calls and did not want to vote on the item tonight with three members, including the mayor, absent.
"Any weapon that we have can be misused," Council member Lynne Miller said. "This has been discussed and there's a pretty good rational behind it."
The all-purpose rescue vehicle is proposed to be purchased from Lenco Industries, Inc., for $280,000 from the Seizures and Restitutions Fund.
“I understand the concern, but I assure you that this has been well thought out,” Police Chief Keith Humphrey said. “We've done over 4 years of research on this type of vehicle.”
Between 2010 and 2012, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department, Oklahoma City Police Department and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol acquired similar vehicles from Lenco Industries. In 2014, after extensive research, the City of Edmond also purchased such a vehicle from Lenco Industries, all for the purpose of rescues, according to city staff reports.
“One of the things I've promised is to help keep Norman safe,” Humphrey said.
He said persons concerned about the “militarization” of the police department need not fear.
“Our police department would never put Norman in the position where we were ridiculed, but these are the times we're in,” Humphrey said. “I don't live in the world of a matter of if, I live in the world of a matter of when.”
Humphrey said in the last five years, the Norman SWAT team has gone on 35 callouts involving a barricade, hostage or high risk, immediate need situation. Additionally, the Norman Police narcotic unit has served or assisted the Drug Enforcement Agency or District 21 Drug Task Force on serving 100 high risk drug warrants.
The SWAT team has been under fire, he said.
Humphrey also said an armored truck could have been used in the Nextep hostage situation. The truck could have been backed up to the door and people in the building loaded into the truck and driven to safety.
In the Nextep case, 50-60 people evacuated in the line of fire from the building.
“It is just fortunate that we were able to get these citizens out,” Humphrey said. “This vehicle can take up to a .50 caliber weapon.”
Humphrey said militarization is not about a piece of equipment, but about an attitude.
“It is an outlook, not a vehicle, which creates a feeling of a military state,” Humphrey said. “This is strictly a defensive vehicle. It is not an offensive vehicle.”
The vehicle would be used for defensive and rescue actions including tornadoes, flooding, ice and snow, as well as University of Oklahoma home football games. Discussions with OU have indicated support and request for it to be used at home football games to enhance the all-ready deployed security measures, according to staff reports.
Council member Stephen Tyler Holman said his issue is the search and seizure fund is a funding source that may use assets seized from innocent people.
Humphrey said any such search and seizures are well vetted and result in convictions about 80 percent of the time. In some cases, he said persons don't show back up for the property.
“We don't immediately have access to those funds,” Humphrey said.
Castleberry said he doesn't remember studying this issue. He said the item was on the consent docket and there hasn't been enough discussion of it.
"We could all lose here pretty quickly if we don't get the five votes for the postponement," Mayor Pro-Tem Greg Jungman said.
He encouraged council members to support the postponement and they did, unanimously.
Several supporters of Medieval Fair showed up at the Tuesday night council meeting to voice concerns that Norman Forward projects, if approved by voters, would push their beloved fair out of Reaves Park. Council members assured them the Medieval Fair is a Norman institution and would not be negatively impacted by Norman Forward projects.
In other city business, the council approved a revised preliminary plat for the Absentee Shawnee Health Center Addition, approved a Planned Unit Development for property on the northeast corner of 36th Avenue Northwest and Tecumseh Road, approved amending the PUD to allow for signage at the Millennium apartments at 900 E. Lindsey St., and approved a PUD amendment for property under development in the TIF district on the southeast corner of 24th Avenue Northwest and Tecumseh Road.
The council also approved Mayor's appointments to the Tree Board: Susan Grisso, Ward 4; Don Menzie, Ward 3 and Todd Fagin, Ward 2.
Joy Hampton
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