Del City police warn OHP pullback on I‑40 will shift crash response to city officers

Chief Berger, Del City police chief, told the City Council on July 7 that the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) plans to stop routine traffic enforcement and accident investigation on I‑40 and that the change "looks like this will take effect November 1." He said the shift will require Del City officers to respond to more interstate crashes and to spend substantially more time on scene.

The change matters locally because Del City covers about 2.5 miles of I‑40 and, according to Berger, local responders commonly handle serious multi‑vehicle crashes there. "When you get involved in an accident up on I‑40, it's usually significant," Berger said, adding that Del City fire and medical units often respond and that police time on scene typically runs "an hour to an hour and a half at minimum." He warned the extra workload will pull officers away from residential and business patrols and increase records and supervisory burdens.

Berger told the council he met with the OHP commissioner and a colonel and with metro police chiefs while seeking details and said the department provided a heat map that, for fiscal year 2025, listed 28 crashes in Del City; fiscal 2024 showed 18 and fiscal 2023 showed 32. He said the OHP heat map reported no fatalities in the three‑year span, a point Berger said he is reviewing because it did not match his local records.

Berger described particular concern about commercial vehicles and hazardous cargo. He said Del City has two accident reconstruction specialists who have attended advanced reconstruction schools but that the city will likely need more training in commercial‑vehicle issues, cargo hazards and driver logs if it must assume routine interstate response. A recently retired trooper has offered to consult on training, Berger said.

Council members asked about legal obligations. Berger referenced Title 47 of the state statutes and said that statute appears to require the Department of Public Safety to "respond to and work traffic enforcement and, on the interstates." He said the legal question is unresolved and that he and the city manager will seek further answers. Berger said the department will compile what training and resources would be needed and try to estimate costs.

The chief urged the council to treat training and possible equipment needs as a near‑term priority if the OHP shift proceeds. He described ongoing outreach to state officials and partners and said he will report back with a training plan and cost estimates once he has assessments from a retired trooper who offered assistance.

The council did not take formal action on the topic at the meeting; Berger described the situation as still developing and said he would return with additional information and recommendations.