The City Council voted Monday to renew contracts for two programs used by Bartlesville police that help fight crime and assist those in need.
The Council voted to approve contracts with GRAND Mental Health to renew the City’s Recovery Support Specialist (RSS) program, and with Axon and Flock Safety Systems to continue the Police Department’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system program.
Approval of the contracts with Axon and Flock Safety Systems will see a reduction of the number of Flock ALPR cameras in use and add two additional cameras supplied by Axon.
The City has contracted with FSS since 2024 to provide ALPR cameras that are used to:
- Assist local police in recovering stolen vehicles
- Assist in solving hit and run and other violent crime cases
- Locate missing and vulnerable people
- Work in conjunction with other jurisdictions to solve crimes committed locally and elsewhere
While ALPR systems have the capability to capture tag numbers on a wider scale, Bartlesville police are restricted from utilizing the system at full capacity. In a 3-2 vote last year, the Council placed limitations on the program that have narrowed its potential uses in Bartlesville, requiring a reduction in the number of cameras, restricting camera locations except at the city limits, and permitting only key personnel access to the system.
But even with the limitations, the Police Department points to several success stories thanks to use of the City’s ALPR system, including the location of several stolen vehicles, the location of elderly and other vulnerable people in need of assistance, including one individual who had threatened self-harm, and the apprehension of criminal suspects. Connection to the camera system has also resulted in the apprehension of a suspect attempting to take an impregnated Bartlesville juvenile into Mexico without parental permission and the location of a suspect following the homicide of local teenager, in addition to being utilized in several other investigations.
The City currently contracts with Axon to provide police tasers and body-worn cameras. The contracts with both companies will be revisited in one year.
RSS program
In other business, the Council approved the renewal of a contract with GRAND Mental Health in connection with the Police Department’s Recovery Support Specialist program. The program provides two certified peer recovery support specialists from GRAND to work with the Police Department’s existing Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) and the Parks and Pathfinder Program.
The team members assist with outreach services to create a pathway from homelessness to treatment to housing for Bartlesville individuals experiencing homelessness, opioid addiction, and at risk for unintentional overdose, particularly those who have set up encampments along Pathfinder Parkway and in City parks.
“Since the teams were implemented two years ago, the Outreach Team has become an essential resource for Bartlesville,” said Police Chief Andrew Ward. “They connect individuals experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and substance use disorders with treatment, housing, recovery services, medical care, and other community resources. Their work addresses problems before they become emergencies, improving outcomes for those in need while reducing unnecessary calls for law enforcement, EMS, emergency rooms, and other first responders.”
Since January of this year, the teams have:
- Completed 2,253 successful outreach contacts
- Served 189 individuals experiencing homelessness or behavioral health challenges
- 13 individuals have moved into stable housing, while others have entered sober living environments and residential treatment programs
- Numerous people have secured income, obtained identification, and overcome barriers that previously prevented them from moving forward
“In July alone, the Outreach Team documented 38 crisis that were prevented, and 20 situations that were successfully resolved without requiring law enforcement response,” Ward said. “Those numbers represent fewer emergency calls, fewer arrests, fewer hospital visits, and more opportunities for people to receive the help they need before reaching a crisis point. This partnership is not simply an investment in behavioral health — it is an investment in public safety.”
Funding to continue the program for a third year ($123,891) is available through monies received from the State of Oklahoma through the Opioid Abatement Settlement Funds.