Lawmakers Applaud OK County Sheriff for Bike Patrols

Senator Keith Leftwich and Representative Al Lindley have extended their thanks and the thanks of a south Oklahoma City neighborhood to the Oklahoma County Sheriffs office. Thats after Sheriff John Wetsel fulfilled his pledge to help step up police presence in an area that has been over-run with prostitutes, pimps and customers.

This weekend, six deputies with the Oklahoma County Sheriffs office patrolled the area on bikes, and it really made a difference. When you step up visible police presence, the prostitutes and their customers are afraid. They should be, because we are serious about getting them out of our neighborhoods, said Senator Leftwich.

In addition to asking Sheriff Wetsel for assistance, Senator Leftwich and Representative Lindley also filed legislation calling for steeper fines for prostitutes, pimps and their customers, as well as requiring a minimum jail bond of $15,000. The bill also proposes making prostitution and pimping within 1,000 feet of a school or church a felony.

Im stunned when people say, well, its always been around so why bother doing anything. Obviously they dont live in these neighborhoods. They havent had their children propositioned by these perverts, or had to deal with the other problems these citizens have, commented Leftwich.

This is a serious situation, and thats the way Senator Leftwich and I are treating it. On behalf of south Oklahoma City, we thank Sheriff Wetsel for his departments assistance. Now we ask our fellow legislators to help us rid our neighborhoods of these vermin, said Representative Lindley.

Senate committees have until Thursday, February 21 to consider legislation. Once SB 1502 is approved by committee, it would next be considered by the full Senate.