In the wake of the New Year’s Day terrorist attack on the famed Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued an executive order creating an advisory council of first responders and intelligence personnel in hopes of better protecting Oklahomans and state infrastructure from such an attack.

Stitt issued an executive order on Monday concerning the Secure Oklahoma NOW (Not on Our Watch) Initiative. He said Oklahoma Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Tipton would lead the advisory council.

In one of the largest domestic terrorist attacks in U.S. history, 168 people and three unborn children died as a result of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, something Stitt noted.

“Sadly, Oklahomans are familiar with the devastating impact terrorists can have on our communities,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to stay vigilant and prepared. The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety will bring together experts from law enforcement, emergency management, and public safety to develop a comprehensive guide to protect our high-value targets and major events, ensuring we are always one step ahead.”

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In addition to Tipton, the advisory council will feature the state’s secretary of public safety, Tricia Everest, who will supervise the initiative. Other members will be a sheriff from a county with a population above 500,000, a sheriff from a county with a population below 500,000, a police chief from a town or city with more than 100,000 residents, a police chief from a town or city with fewer than 100,000 residents, a chief from a university police department and a representative from the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security.

The only two counties with a population of more than 500,000 are Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. Only four Oklahoma cities — Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman and Broken Arrow — have a population above 100,000.

The 12-person council also will include the president of the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association or their designee, the director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management or their designee, the director of the Oklahoma Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center or their designee and one at-large member appointed by the governor.

The council will create and publish a written guide of minimum security and safety protocols for use by public and private stakeholders responsible for managing large-scale events. According to Stitt’s order, the guide should reflect best practices and emerging strategies in public safety.

The first meeting of the council must be by Feb. 27, according to the order, and the first edition of the guide is scheduled to be published and submitted by May 30, with updates to be made annually.

“In our world today, it’s more important than ever to make sure our law enforcement is prepared for any situation,” Everest said. “We have been able to mitigate multiple threats with our effective partnerships between local, state and federal law enforcement. I appreciate the governor’s efforts to streamline those partnerships and ensure Oklahomans are safe regardless of the situation.”

A man convicted of first-degree murder will stand in front of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board to seek early release during a Stage 2 parole hearing on Tuesday.

Wayne Thompson was convicted at age 15 for the 1983 murder of his sister’s alleged abuser.

Thompson’s case gained national attention and influenced juvenile justice after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1988 ruling in Thompson v. Oklahoma, which deemed it unconstitutional to execute offenders under 16.

His death sentence was commuted to life with parole eligibility. Now 57, Thompson cleared Stage 1 of the parole process late last year.

The murder, committed in Grady County, involved Thompson and accomplices beating, shooting, and disposing of Charles Keene’s body in the Washita River.

Thompson and his accomplices admitted to being under the influence of drugs while committing the crime.

Keene was alleged to have abused Thompson’s sister for nine years.

The Department of Corrections investigative report provided to the board does not recommend parole.

Thompson has sought parole twice since the 1990s, citing remorse and rehabilitation, though previous attempts were denied due to the crime’s violent nature.

Tuesday’s hearing comes as the board works through a backlog of cases from late 2024 and early 2025 following the resignations of two board members.