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Lawmakers to rename copper theft bill in honor of fallen TPD Sergeant

TULSA — Driving along Tulsa’s highways at night, if the lights are working, one might consider pausing for a moment to thank TPD Sergeant Craig Johnson.

Johnson, who died Tuesday after suffering multiple gunshot wounds during a traffic stop early Monday, worked tirelessly for years to combat copper thieves.

He was the one that instigated all that, and the glue that kept us together...

—  State Rep. Carol Bush (R-Tulsa)

He became Tulsa’s representative to a coalition of lawmakers, business and faith leaders, and police whose goal was to keep the lights on along highways, and protect churches and businesses.

KRMG interviewed Sgt. (then Corporal) Johnson in January of 2017 about his work fighting copper thefts.

State Rep. Carol Bush (R-Tulsa) says Johnson was a driving force in bringing that coalition together.

“He was the Tulsa spearhead, if you will, along with our officer in Oklahoma City, that helped put this statewide coalition together to work on legislation solutions for the continued copper theft issues that we have in our cities,” Bush said Friday.

“He brought in the scrap metal dealers, he brought in the utilities. Schools, churches, businesses, contractors - he was the one that instigated all that, and the glue that kept us together.”

So she and dozens of her fellow lawmakers decided to honor his work by renaming the bill which would codify some of his work into law.

“What my colleagues and I wanted to do was figure out a way to honor him, and his legacy,” Bush said. “We hope this is one way we can show our appreciation for everything he did.”

Oklahoma House Bill 3031 passed with strong support in the most recent House session, but the bill wasn’t heard in the Senate due to the pandemic.

Bush believes it will pass without much problem in the next session.

Johnson’s funeral will be held Thursday, July 9 at 1:00 p.m. at Victory Christian in Tulsa, 7700 S. Lewis Ave.

It is open to the public.

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