Standridge Highlights Impact of New Deputies in Norman

NORMAN — Sen. Lisa Standridge visited a Norman homeless encampment Tuesday to personally welcome two newly assigned sheriff’s deputies, whose placement she helped secure to improve public safety and security for Norman residents.

Standridge, R-Norman, was joined by representatives of local nonprofit organizations, local and state Veterans Affairs coordinators, members of area churches, and other community leaders. Their mission was twofold: to reinforce that public safety must come first and to demonstrate that those living in homeless encampments have opportunities to rebuild their lives.

“Norman is an extraordinarily generous community, filled with big-hearted people who genuinely want to help those in need,” Standridge said. “But we must remember the old saying: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Our goal cannot simply be to make homelessness more comfortable. Our goal must be to help people escape homelessness altogether.”

The senator emphasized that compassion and accountability are not mutually exclusive. Through faith-based organizations, veterans’ services, addiction recovery programs, mental health resources, employment assistance, tribes and community nonprofits, individuals experiencing homelessness can find meaningful opportunities to move toward independence, stable housing, and productive employment, if they so choose.

Standridge also expressed serious concerns about deteriorating safety conditions and the devaluation of the property surrounding the encampment. In recent months, two deaths have occurred there, including one reported as a suspected homicide and another involving unresolved questions. Another disturbing incident reportedly involved an encampment occupant wielding a machete to defend against a threatening animal.

Nearby residents have expressed fear for their personal safety, with some reportedly reluctant even to walk to the end of their driveways to retrieve their mail. The encampment’s proximity to a school has also raised concerns among families about the safety of children.

“Norman is home to the University of Oklahoma, our state’s largest university, where thousands of students and their families come expecting a safe and welcoming community,” Standridge said. “Parents should never have to question whether their
children are safe walking to school, attending college, or simply living in their neighborhoods. Public safety is not negotiable. The property owners around this encampment have been wronged. The absolute destruction of the neighborhood and property values around Reed Ave. and Main St. is something that should awaken every citizen of Norman.”

Standridge stressed that homelessness cannot become an excuse for criminal activity, threatening behavior, or the deterioration of neighborhoods. The additional sheriff’s deputies represent an important step toward restoring security while community organizations work to connect encampment occupants with available assistance and opportunities for lasting change.

“This was about law enforcement and also a step more,” Standridge continued. “It was about looking people in the eye and reminding them that God has a plan for their lives. There is a pathway out of homelessness. That pathway may begin with treatment, counseling, faith, or a helping hand, but it must ultimately lead toward personal responsibility, meaningful work, independence, and the dignity of self-sufficiency.”

Standridge and community leaders spoke and prayed with individuals at the encampment and offered practical assistance and opportunities for a fresh start. The addition of two sheriff’s deputies will strengthen public safety, protect surrounding neighborhoods and provide greater peace of mind for Norman residents.

Four individuals were accepted on the spot to a faith-based program that includes housing and employment, and all four declined.

"We cannot make the decision to change someone else's life for them,” Standridge concluded. “We can offer a helping hand, open doors to opportunity, and pray that they find the courage to take that first step, that is the profound difference between helping someone overcome homelessness and enabling them to remain trapped in it."