Oklahoma City Police Department

This Week in Oklahoma Politics discusses a new initiative petition to allow Oklahomans to vote on protecting abortion access in the state, the U.S. Senate rejecting an amendment to a same-sex marriage protection bill ultimately passed in the chamber and more.

Oklahoma City and two of its police officers are facing a federal lawsuit from the family of Bennie Edwards, who was shot and killed last year.

Five men detained in the Oklahoma County Jail face charges of first and second degree murder as well as assault for their part in a March hostage takeover that ended when Oklahoma City police shot and killed their fellow detainee, Curtis Williams.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel talk about Oklahoma County handing its redistricting process over to state House and Senate staff, the governor mulling his decision on a replacement for former Attorney General Mike Hunter and a new study showing the power of prosecutors on legislation at the State Capitol.

The Oklahoma City police detective who said a fellow officer shot Bennie Edwards in the back “unnecessarily,” is taking back his words. The retraction could jeopardize multiple criminal prosecutions.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel talk about Oklahoma City passing it's budget for next year to include a $1.3M increase for its police department despite calls to reduce the funding, nearly 100,000 Oklahomans sign up for Medicaid expansion in its first week online and the Department of Education uncovered $1.6M in fraud over a federal program to feed children during the pandemic.

The Oklahoma City Council approved more than $227 million for the city’s police budget on Tuesday. The total is a $1.3 million increase over the last fiscal year. The budget approval comes one year after some residents demanded funds be taken away from police and invested in community resources.

Felony court proceedings are scheduled against six Oklahoma City police officers charged in two separate killings.

The Oklahoma City Police Department released video on Thursday of an officer shooting a man who said he was schizophrenic.

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to University of Oklahoma professor Andrea Benjamin about why she wants the human rights commission to be reinstated. The previous commission was dissolved in 1996.