How to become a 911 dispatcher in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, 911 dispatchers are hired by city, county and regional 911 centers. The Oklahoma 9-1-1 Management Authority sets the statewide standards; the credential is 9-1-1 Emergency Telecommunicator. At the Oklahoma City Police Department 911 Communications Center, new hires start at $40,976 a year, rising to $57,595.
Pay at the Oklahoma City Police Department 911 Communications Center
Each city and county sets its own pay. This is the official scale of the Oklahoma City Police Department 911 Communications Center, the largest city's agency.
| Starting salary | $40,976 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $57,595 |
| Scale effective | 2023-11-06 |
Start = $19.70/hr from the city's November 2023 hiring notice; top = $27.69/hr from the 2022 job bulletin. No newer official scale was found.
Source:[okc.gov]
Pay for this work across Oklahoma
Federal survey figures for public safety telecommunicators in Oklahoma, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.
| People in this work | 1,930 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $29,760 |
| Median pay | $39,890 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $61,490 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Any new emergency telecommunicator hired after January 1, 2024 must complete a forty-hour state-recognized training course for basic call handling and dispatch services, in person or virtually, within six (6) months of hire (63 O.S. 2872(D), Haiden Fleming Memorial Act, HB 1590 of 2023)
- Telecommunicators providing dispatch service for emergency medical services must complete a state- or nationally recognized telecommunicator CPR (T-CPR) course following evidence-based High-Quality T-CPR guidelines (63 O.S. 2872(E))
- The 9-1-1 Management Authority certifies the list of qualified 40-hour training programs and sets hourly training requirements on a yearly basis (63 O.S. 2872(B)); it offers a free online, self-paced 40-hour core course and T-CPR training to Oklahoma PSAPs
- Largest-city agency (Oklahoma City Police): civilian employees must pass a comprehensive background check and polygraph before employment; 70% or better required on each selection procedure
Source:[oklegislature.gov]
Hiring process
- Online application
- Selection procedure(s) - 70% or better on each, results equally weighted; eligibility list valid 180 days
- Comprehensive background check
- Polygraph test
- Four weeks of classroom training, then on-the-job training for the rest of probation
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Required training
40 hours minimum. 63 O.S. 2872: a forty-hour state-recognized basic call handling and dispatch course within six months of hire (new hires after Jan 1, 2024). The 9-1-1 Management Authority's own 40-hour core course is online, self-paced and free to Oklahoma PSAPs. Oklahoma City 911 Dispatcher Trainees get four weeks of classroom instruction, then on-the-job training through probation.[oklahoma.gov]
Pension and retirement
No statewide plan for local 911 staff was confirmed, and Oklahoma City's civilian retirement plan details were not found on an official source.