New police substation to open in Bartlesville

BARTLESVILLE, OK -The Bartlesville City Council voted Tuesday to approve a contract between the City and Tri County Tech that will result in the opening of an east-side police substation at the Tri County Tech facilities, located at 6101 Nowata Road.

The move is designed to help improve local emergency response times and expand locations to better serve the community.

The substation will house an east-side patrol division and a special operations division, which will consist of a training unit, traffic unit, and an impact team. The substation will provide east-side residents with easier access to police services and reduced response times during emergencies.

“Tri County Tech isn’t just for our students; it’s about improving the quality of life for our entire community,” said Lindel Fields, superintendent and CEO, Tri County Tech. “This arrangement will make the east-side of Bartlesville safer, but it also will help prevent campus crime and violence, which is an unfortunate reality for which school administrators have to plan diligently.”

Up to 13 police officers will be on-shift at the east-side substation at any time, according to Police Chief Tracy Roles.

“The creation of a substation on the east side will allow for more of a police presence on the east side of Bartlesville,” Roles said. “This increased presence will decrease response times and make it more convenient for residents that live or work on the east side of town to interact with police officers. The substation will create a better service for the citizens of Bartlesville.”

The patrol division will consist of two or three on-shift police officers, while a sergeant and corporal will staff the training unit. A corporal and two officers will cover the traffic unit, and a sergeant and two officers will man the impact team.

“I am super excited about the partnership with Tri County Tech,” Roles said. “This move will benefit Tri County Tech, BPD and, most importantly, the citizens of Bartlesville.”

To secure the arrangement, Tri County Tech and the BPD worked with City Manager Mike Bailey to create a lease and station plan that provides a comprehensive plan to address public safety needs for east Bartlesville.

“The Bartlesville Police Department has always operated from one location, in the downtown area,” Bailey said. “When local governments can pool resources, we all win. This is a rare opportunity for a partnership that is mutually beneficial to everyone involved. This partnership also opens the door for future cooperation between the City of Bartlesville and Tri-county Tech.

Bailey said City staff had been looking at options to expand police services in east Bartlesville for some time and that the agreement with Tri County Tech offers a perfect solution.

The location will be open on Sept. 16. The public can access the east-side substation from Tri County Tech’s west entrance.