The Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) are two of the premier law enforcement agencies in the Sooner State. If you aspire to join either one of them, the information provided here will be very helpful.

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How to Become a Police Officer in Oklahoma
How to Become a Police Officer in Oklahoma

Requirements for Becoming a Police Officer in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) requires applicants to fulfill the following criteria.

  • The candidate must not be younger than 21 or older than 45 (at the time of joining the police academy)
  • The candidate should have a high school diploma or the alternative GED certificate
  • The candidate must have valid a US citizenship through birth or naturalization
  • The candidate should qualify the Physical Ability Test
  • The candidate must pass the Law Enforcement Ability Battery (LEAB)
  • The candidate must have had a valid Oklahoma driving license for at least 2 years along with proof of liability insurance
  • The candidate should not have any felony convictions anywhere in the United States
  • The candidate should have a steady credit and employment background
  • The candidate should have a driving history that demonstrates driving behaviors that complement the safe handling of emergency vehicles
  • The candidate should be entered into the Oklahoma State Police Pension and Retirement System

Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) requires that applicants

  • Must be at least 21 and at most 45 at the time of beginning training
  • Must have an associate’s degree or completed at least 62 semester hours from an accredited institution listed in the Database of Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions and Programs

    • OR

  • Must have completed 32 semester hours from an accredited institution listed in the Database of Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions and Programs along with 3 years of military service (with honorable discharge)
  • Must be a legal national of the United States
  • Must qualify the Physical Ability Test.
  • Must not have a record of drug/substance abuse
  • Must not have any kind of criminal record

How Much Time Is Needed to Become a Police Officer in Oklahoma?

The Oklahoma City Police Department Academy runs its non-residential training program for about 28 weeks. Following the successful completion of this program, the recruits are enrolled into the Field Training Officer Program. This lasts for 4 to 6 months. On the other hand, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol organizes a residential training program for about 20 weeks.

So, you can expect the complete process of becoming a police officer in Oklahoma (from the time you submit your application till the completion of training) to take around 1.5 to 2 years. This will also be dependent on the available vacancies as well as the specifics of your chosen police department.

Oklahoma Police Officer Salary

As reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Oklahoma earned $46,120 in annual mean wage in May, 2018.

Oklahoma Police Officer Future Employment Prospects

The records of O*Net Online indicate that employment opportunities for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Oklahoma are set to grow by 11% between 2016 and 2026.

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