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Police Chief: Officers focus on drivers not yielding to emergency vehicles

During an Oct. 7 chat session, Tahlequah Police Chief Nate King said he's observed more drivers who are failing to yield to emergency vehicles.


"There's a special law in place for that if you're approaching an emergency vehicle; police; fire; EMS; wreckers; red and blue lights basically on the shoulder of the road that you're to yield, you're supposed to merge left to leave a lane between you and them even if you have to slow way down below the speed limit to do that," he said.


King said officers will be focusing on these drivers throughout the month of October.


So far in 2024, officers have logged 39,664 calls for service and conducted 10,710 traffic stops; 3,600 pedestrian stops; 12,400 building checks; 261 thefts; and 84 burglaries. Officers made 1,179 arrests and have taken 1,882 reports. King said they worked 40 vehicle crashes.


"We're averaging 1.12 calls per hour per officer when they're working. Our calls are still at about 30 minutes on average, which is the average call for the Tahlequah Police Department and it's something - the goal is one call an hour per officer - and those numbers are lining up pretty good," he said.


King added that the crime rate is lower than it was 10 years ago and he said it's a testament to the officers who are working day in and day out.


"They're putting in the work to protect Tahlequah and we've really focused the last few years on preventing crime. I think our traffic stops help, I think our pedestrian stops help that, and then our patrolling of neighborhoods help that because a bad guy is coming to Tahlequah to break into cars, break into houses, and on their way into town they see three traffic stops going on, they're [saying], 'Forget this, we're going somewhere else. There's too many cops around here,'" King said.


In other business, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and King said domestic disturbance incidents are something officers respond to, a lot.


"It's important for us each and every day as people, not just as cops but as people, to stand against domestic violence. It's not enough just to not be an offender in your own home. We can't condone domestic violence even with our silence, we have to stand against it," King said. "We're blessed to have Help In Crisis in Cherokee County, such a vital nonprofit organization that provides so many services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault."


King added that it would be more difficult for them to do their jobs if they didn't have Help In Crisis, which provides advocacy services to victims.

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