Tulsa, Tulsa County Sign Five-Year Detention Deal
The agreement lets Tulsa police hold people arrested on municipal charges at the county's David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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The City of Tulsa and Tulsa County have reached a five-year detention services agreement. Tulsa police will use the Tulsa County Jail for people arrested on municipal charges, following the closure of the city's Municipal Lockup in July.
Why it matters
The deal replaces a separate city lockup that Tulsa police had maintained for nearly a decade for people facing only municipal charges. It establishes a long-term detention arrangement for Tulsa residents arrested on city offenses.
The agreement is a five-year term, and Tulsa police are now using the county jail for municipal arrests. Financial terms and expected detainee volume were not disclosed in the available reporting.
The players
Tulsa County Sheriff's Office
The county law enforcement agency that oversees daily operations at the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center, which houses the county jail.
Tulsa Municipal Court
The city court that hears municipal cases and is working to set up a virtual hearing link for proceedings involving detainees held at the Moss center.
The details
The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office will oversee daily detention operations, including inmate intake, booking and housing, and will keep operational control of the facility and inmates in its custody. The City of Tulsa will coordinate inmate transportation, courthouse appearances and communication with the county.
Timeline
For nearly a decade, Tulsa police maintained a separate lockup for people facing only municipal charges.
July: The Municipal Lockup closed.
November 10, 2026: The five-year detention agreement was reached.
Legal Context
The agreement follows the July closure of Tulsa's Municipal Lockup, which had served as a standalone holding site for people facing only municipal charges for nearly a decade. The deal moves those detentions into the county jail under the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.
People arrested on municipal charges in Tulsa will now be held at the county's David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center rather than a city lockup. Court appearances for those detainees may take place through a virtual hearing link that Tulsa Municipal Court is working to establish.
The takeaway
Municipal arrests in Tulsa are now handled through the county jail under a five-year agreement. Residents with cases in Tulsa Municipal Court should watch for details on virtual hearing access as the arrangement takes effect.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Tulsa Criminal Justice.
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