To enhance public safety in downtown Tulsa, one of the city’s most dense and visible areas, the Tulsa Police Department will be opening a new patrol division for the first time in more than 35 years, TPD announced Tuesday.

“Our department’s current structure and divisional boundaries have struggled to keep up with the unique demands and the rapid growth of the popular venues downtown,” TPD Chief Dennis Larsen said at a news conference at police headquarters. “So, we’re restructuring our divisions, using the same number of officers to meet the needs of the city.”

Responsible for 8.5 square miles of the city, the new fourth patrol division will police the Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL), along with Gathering Place, Cherry Street and the Greenwood and Pearl districts, as well as the areas of 18^th Street and South Boston Avenue and 23^rd Street and South Jackson Avenue.

Joining the Gilcrease, Mingo Valley and Riverside divisions, the new, unnamed division is set to open at the end of August to coincide with the department’s annual shift change. It will be housed downtown at 600 Civic Center, site of TPD headquarters, and staffed by about 75 officers, TPD Deputy Chief Mark Wollmerhauser said.

“Whether someone is arriving for a convention, attending a sporting event or visiting Tulsa for the first time, downtown is often the place where they decide what kind of city we are,” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “A vibrant downtown is also an economic engine. It drives tourism, supports small businesses, fuels job growth and helps attract the talent and investment that growing cities need to compete.

“…That’s why (Tuesday’s) announcement is so important. The creation of a fourth patrol division for the Tulsa Police Department located in the heart of downtown represents a major step forward in strengthening public safety where it matters most.”

Since 2008, nearly $2 billion has been invested in downtown development and nearly 3,000 residential units have been built, Larsen said.

“Tulsa has grown and changed with new businesses and housing developments,” Larsen said. “People aren’t just visiting downtown; more and more they are choosing to live downtown…It was time to re-evaluate the need for a fourth patrol division.”

The refocusing of the deployment of TPD officers comes after a year of meeting with downtown residents, Chamber leadership and business-owners concerned about the lack of police presence downtown, Larsen said.

Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said Tuesday it was evident that a long-term solution to enhancing public safety needed to be found.

“I met numerous times with Tulsa Regional Chamber CEO (and President) Mike Neal , past (Chair) Bill Knight and many of the Chamber members,” Larsen said. “The message was always the same. Community safety is their priority…”