Ambassadors Aid Visitors Downtown

By Alex Cameron, NEWS 9

OKLHAOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City Ambassadors have been around for about five years. They're hired and trained by the Oklahoma City police department as ambassadors plus.

"We do help with traffic control, during parades and special events, such as the marathon," Ambassador Mike Gordon said. "Saint Patrick's Day parade is coming up. We'll be doing the traffic on that. I'll be riding the Segway in that parade."

Police see the ambassadors as an extra set of eyes and ears, but their greatest contribution to the public good is often traffic control.

"We have manual push-buttons at the light boxes that they will operate," Lt. Jay Freeman said. "They also have flagger training where they will wear the reflective vest, get out and assist pedestrians crossing the roadway."

Gordon said he loves the job. He meets new people and gets to answer their questions.

"They want to know where the bombing memorial is. They want to know where the botanical tube is, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Bass Pro Shop, any restaurant they want to find and sometimes we have to help them decide what restaurant they want to eat at," Gordon said.

There are about 36 ambassadors that work part-time. On normal days, they work two six-hour shifts,10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. There are six ambassadors per shift, but with the tournament going on, the police department assigned eight per shift, and the Ford Center's hired eight more to work.