TPD Chief Chuck Jordan (left) and Tulsa County DA Steven Kunzweiler. Photo from KOTV, NewsOn6.com

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler, Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan and others discussed the issues of public safety in our community last night at a public forum organized by Tulsa Today and you are welcome to view the entire event online.

Local news media covered elements of the discussion, but missed some of the most compelling points. Of course, they also didn’t mention the event was sponsored by Tulsa Today (the oldest independent online news service in the world) maybe because this type of event is what news organizations should be doing instead of hiding in their cubicles behind armed security guards. They should be engaging the public and providing experts to speak to issues.

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Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler will join the presenters this Tuesday evening April 21, at the LaFortune Clubhouse Grill 5501 South Yale on the topic of public safety in Tulsa.

This meeting will not focus on the recent tragedy resulting in a second-degree manslaughter charge against Tulsa County Reserve Deputy Robert Charles Bates, 73, in the shooting death of Eric Courtney Harris, 44. This public presentation will focus on the mission and functionality of; law enforcement, prosecution and public perceptions of safety and crime prevention. Because his office will prosecute the charges against Reserve Deputy Bates; Kunzweiler is prevented from speaking on that topic.

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Next Tuesday evening April 21, at the LaFortune Clubhouse Grill 5501 South Yale; Tulsa Today invites you to join us at 7:00 pm to discuss public safety in our community.

Multiple speakers will address the topic from different and unique perspectives. Lively discussion from audience questions are the norm at Let’s Talk Tulsa public events.

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Photo: NewsOn6.com

Updated: People protested the shooting and death of suspected illegal gun dealer Eric Harris last evening in downtown Tulsa.

The Tulsa County Reserve Deputy, Bob Bates, who shot Harris during an arrest turned himself in Tuesday after being charged with 2nd degree manslaughter by Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzeiler.

KOTV reports that nearly 100 people walked from the courthouse down to the sheriff’s office, chanting things like, “No justice, no peace.”

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Robert Charles Bates

A Tulsa County reserve deputy who shot and killed a man during an undercover operation on April 2 was charged today with Second-Degree Manslaughter in the death.

Second-Degree Manslaughter charges were filed against Robert Charles Bates, 73, in the shooting death of Eric Courtney Harris, 44. Bates has been a reserve deputy since 2008, and was assigned to the sheriff’s Violent Crimes Task Force.

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