Blog reprinted with permission from the Tulsa (OK) PD
TULSA, Okla. — Mayor Kathy Taylor joined with Tulsa Police Department officers, 911 personnel and representatives of the Oklahoma Army National Guard today to announce Operation Patriot Watch.
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Under this program, Tulsa Police officers patrolling neighborhoods will be made aware of the homes of National Guard soldiers who are serving on active duty during a deployment.
The program will be strictly voluntary. Guard personnel and their families can submit their information through their Family Readiness Coordinator for notification of the 911 Telecommunications Department.
“The men and women deployed oversees are fighting to protect our families. This program helps protect their families while they are away and may provide them some peace of mind,” said Mayor Kathy Taylor.
“This is one of several initiatives my administration has begun to help the men and women from Tulsa who are serving our country in Iraq, Afghanistan and wherever they are needed,” said Mayor Taylor. “I am extremely proud of our Tulsa Police officers and our 911 dispatchers for stepping forward with this voluntary effort to help ease the minds of those who are serving their country.”
Under Operation Patriot Watch, Tulsa Guard personnel assigned to military duty overseas can request that their home address be furnished to E-911 dispatchers and to Tulsa Police Department patrol officers who patrol neighborhoods. The dispatchers and officers will know that a given address is the home of someone on military duty and can help keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.
Only the homes of those military personnel who complete request forms will be included in the program.
The program was coordinated through the Mayor’s liaison for Veterans Affairs, Matt Stiner, a former Marine and veteran of the Iraq war.Mayor Taylor recently appointed a Veterans Advisory Council to help improve services to Tulsa-area veterans. More programs benefiting military veterans and active duty personnel will be announced in coming weeks.