Pro-police group seeks to oust Norman mayor, council over funding complaint

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — A group of citizens in Norman, Oklahoma, is launching a recall petition drive to oust the city’s mayor and half of its City Council.

The group, “Unite Norman,” is upset with the council over its decision last month to reallocate $865,000, or about 3.6%, of the police department’s annual budget. The money was shifted to community development programs and to create an internal auditor position to track police overtime and outlays.

Many residents in Oklahoma’s third-largest city are also upset with Mayor Breea Clark’s decision to impose a requirement that people wear masks in public. Oklahoma is among the states that have seen a surge in COVID-19 cases since relaxing restrictions.