Becca Yanez (OU)
This morning the O.I.L. Senate chamber saw ORU-002 “The Responsibility to Educate Act of 2021” written by Oral Roberts University Senator Dangtoumda and passed the Senate. The bill aimed to ensure Oklahoma’s police officers are well equipped to handle high risk and high conflict situations such as arrest resistance. Despite the positive reception, some delegates were strongly opposed to the bill. Caucusing took place within the Zoom, including the comments section of the call as pictured below.
Proponents of the bill such as University of Oklahoma Senator Connor Boren believe requiring police officers to obtain higher education is an important investment in both the community and Oklahoma’s officers.
“It’s important that our law enforcement go through that (higher education) so they can better empathize with people,” Boren said.
However, the opposition did not have a cohesive stance. Rather, amendments and caucusing were sporadic. Boren mentioned that Senator Evan Shaw from Tulsa University proposed an amendment that would allow for rural areas to create exemptions for police officers with highschool diplomas or GEDs. Boren was adamantly against the amendment due to his strong feelings on higher education being a necessity.
South Eastern University Senator Seay, University of Oklahoma Senator Tessla Brewer, and Senator Boren caucused in the zoom comments as pictured below. When Senator Boren was asked about these comments, he was quick to clarify some of his comments.
“I want it to be known that my comment in response to Senator Seay was meant to state that not glorifying police brutality under the guise of patriotism would decrease violence,” Boren said.
Senator Boren added that if police officers are more empathetic, the relationship between the community and its officers would improve,and ultimately people would look to officers as role models.
Senator Seay was asked for further comments surrounding her public comments below and her stance on the bill. Senator Seay declined to give any comments at this time.
Police brutality is an issue that affects thousands of Americans and O.I.L. delegates have vastly different opinions on just how this issue should be handled. The discussion surrounding it is one that many delegates will certainly remember.
