How to become a police officer in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, police officers are hired by city police departments and county sheriff's offices. The Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) sets the statewide standards; the credential is Peace Officer Certification (CLEET basic certification). At the Oklahoma City Police Department, new hires start at $67,735 a year, rising to $81,933 after about 7 years. You must be at least 21.
Pay at the Oklahoma City Police Department
Each city and county sets its own pay. This is the official scale of the Oklahoma City Police Department, the largest city's agency.
| Starting salary | $67,735 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $81,933 |
| Years to top | 7 |
| Scale effective | FY 2024-25 |
OKCPD recruiting site, "Pay Scale/Benefits (Fiscal Year 24/25)": Recruit Step A $67,734.72 ($32.44/hr); lateral recruit $71,681.04; Officer Step A $71,681.04 ($34.33/hr) after the one-year probation, then one step per year to Officer Step G $81,933.12 ($39.24/hr) (yearsToTop derived: 1 year probation + 6 annual steps). Plus longevity, college incentive ($75-$175/month), $1,810 uniform allowance and bilingual pay.
Source:[joinokcpd.com]
Pay for this work across Oklahoma
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers 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 | 9,660 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $36,480 |
| Median pay | $59,700 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $94,940 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 21
- Education: High school diploma or GED
- CLEET rules: persons hired after January 1, 1987 must be 21 before completing basic certification training
- Psychological examination by the employing agency using a CLEET-approved instrument, evaluated by a licensed psychologist (70 O.S. 3311)
- No conviction for, and not in a deferred sentence for, a felony, a crime involving moral turpitude, or a crime of domestic violence
- OPPRS membership: new full-time police officers must be 21 to 45 when accepted for initial membership
Source:[oklahoma.gov]
Hiring process
- Hire as a full-time peace officer by a city, county or state agency
- Background investigation (by hiring agency)
- Psychological examination (CLEET-approved instrument)
- CLEET or Council-approved basic academy (600 hours)
- Written examinations and firearms qualification in the academy
- CLEET peace officer certification
Source:[oklahoma.gov]
Required training
600 hours minimum, 16 weeks. CLEET: "The academy's Basic course for new peace officers consists of 600 hours of training"; full-time graduates complete "16 weeks of intensive, in-residence training" at the CLEET facility. Certification is free to students who are hired first; the Collegiate Officer Program is an alternative degree-based route.[oklahoma.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System (OPPRS)
- Benefit formula: Final Average Salary x Years of Credited Service x 2.5% multiplier
- When you can retire: Twenty-year retirement regardless of age (per OKCPD); members separating with at least 10 years may take a vested benefit starting at the later of age 50 or the date they would have reached 20 years
Statewide system for municipal police. OKCPD says OPPRS "offers twenty year retirement allowing retiree's to receive a pension regardless of age" (https://www.joinokcpd.com/contact).
Source:[opprs.ok.gov]