Former Deputy Chief Dennis Larsen sworn in as Tulsa's new chief of police

The City of Tulsa officially has a new chief of police.

Chief Dennis Larsen was sworn in Tuesday morning during a ceremony at the Tulsa Police Training Division.

Mayor G.T. Bynum swore Larsen into his new position in front of a packed house including city and department leaders, including outgoing Chief Wendell Franklin who retires next week.

Residents were told of Larsen’s impending induction back in May shortly after it was announced Chief Wendell Franklin would be retiring on July 31.

Larsen has been with the department for 45 years and served as the Deputy Police Chief before being chosen as Franklin’s successor.

“I have zero reservations about exiting out and what is going to happen to this department, who is going to lead this department,” Franklin said. “It’s the guy who officed right door next to me.”

FOX23 talked with Larsen one-on-one shortly after the ceremony.

Though he loved serving as a deputy chief, he said becoming the chief is a career long goal.

“Violent crime is always challenging, and it’s my pledge to keep Tulsa safe, so it will always be our number one priority to go after those who do evil,” Larsen said.

Besides that, Larsen said he’s focused on combatting teen violence and the fentanyl crisis the state is facing.

He said it’s important they get fully staffed to address these problems and to meet other needs of Tulsans.

Right now, the city is down 143 sworn officers.

They have 800, the department is authorized to have 943.

“We have to the have the bodies to put in patrol cars and it’s my highest priority next to keeping the community safe,” Larsen explained.

The upcoming academy has 18 of the 30 spots filled. We asked him if he had specific recruitment tactics in mind for the future. He didn’t lay out specific plans, but he did say they have a great training staff who he believes in, and he has a goal of having full academies which would be 30 recruits in each class starting next march.

Both Franklin and Bynum said Larsen is plenty prepared for this job.

“I think his major strength is that he is an individual that recognizes that he has a limit, he has a capacity and that he needs others to make up for gaps that exist. Again, another true mark of a leader,” Franklin said.

“In all of the police chiefs we’ve had, I don’t think we’ve ever had someone come into the job as prepared on day one to lead this department as Dennis Larsen,” Bynum added.

For more information on Chief Larsen, click here .