By John Dobberstein, Editor
TULSA — Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols has turned to another department veteran to become the 42nd chief of the Tulsa Police Department.
Nichols announced he chose Jonathan Brooks, who is currently Deputy Chief of Police over TPD administration. Brooks has been with the department for nearly 30 years.
Nichols told the media Thursday that Brooks, “is exactly the kind of leader Tulsa needs at this moment.
“For nearly 30 years, Chief Brooks has dedicated himself to this city and to finding better ways to keep people safe, strengthen our neighborhoods and build trust between the police department and the residents we serve.
“What stands out most about his record is that he has never been content to simply accept the way things have always been done — rather, he has consistently been an agent for change, helping create innovative mental health, diversion, and community response programs that are now among the things Tulsa leaders point to when we talk about the future of public safety.”
Nichols added that throughout his search for a new chief, many people asked if Tulsa needed to conduct a national search, he felt Brooks, “already demonstrated the vision to rethink policing and the ability to turn that vision into programs that work.
“If he could help move this department forward from within its ranks, it’s difficult not to imagine a future where, as chief of police, he could make an even bigger impact.”
Brooks said TPD will continue to focus on not only crime prevention and response, but identifying ways to strengthen relationships with the community and lead with transparency.
“This department and community have helped shaped me as a police officer, as a leader, and as a person, and I will always be grateful to the men and women who have served alongside me and community partners who have helped play a role in who I am today,” Brooks said.
“I’m eager to get to work, to support the men and women who put on the uniform every day, and to lead this department into its next chapter with the same dedication to service that brought me here in the first place.”
Brooks will take over for Chief Dennis Larsen, who announced his retirement last month. Nichols held “stakeholder roundtables” in north and east Tulsa, a community listening session at Thomas Edison Preparatory School and a youth roundtable at City Hall to help determine the qualities and focus areas the next chief needed to have.
Nichols also had discussions with business leaders and community stakeholders, including the leaders from the Muscogee, Cherokee and Osage Nations.
The city said Brooks developed, helped implement and oversaw numerous initiatives and programs, many of which are still providing an impact, including the Tulsa Sobering Center, TPD’s community policing efforts, integrating behavioral health clinicians into 911 and establishing the Community Response Team.
While serving TPD, Brooks was twice appointed by the governor to lead the ABLE Commission, and he was chosen in 2012 under Mayor Bartlett to serve as the Interim Chief Information Officer (CIO) to reorganize and strengthen city’s IT systems following a major cyber event.
Brooks served as the 2019 Regional Incident Commander for the 2019 Tulsa flood and has served as a SWAT commander and Internal Affairs auditor.
Brooks earned a bachelor’s of science in biological science from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and master of science in interdisciplinary studies from OSU-Tulsa.
In December he will receive a doctorate in forensic psychology from OSU’s Center for Health Sciences. Brooks’ research focus is on organizational psychology, police officer wellness, suicide prevention, behavioral health, evidence-based policing, and organizational leadership.
Brooks is also a 2019 graduate of the FBI National Academy.
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