Additional Police Officers, Firefighters To Be Hired In OKC

OCPD Chief Bill Citty has been calling for more officers for years and now, they’ll be coming.

An early budget proposal for Oklahoma City calls for a large increase in officers.

City leaders had promised when voters approved a 1/4 of a penny sales tax increase, the extra money would go to public safety.

An early budget proposal is proof to the Fraternal Order of Police that the promise is being kept.

“It’s what we’ve been waiting for 20 to 30 years,” said FOP VP Mark Nelson.

The budget proposal calls for 81 new officers, and to unfreeze 48 police positions for a total of 129 additional officers out on the street, making the department 1,235 officers strong.

“This increase gets us very close to where we need to be,” said Nelson.

The most recent staffing study recommends OCPD should have 1,311 officers.

Nelson said it will have years to bring that many new candidates through the Police Academy.

Meanwhile, OKC fire and rescue are also getting more help under the proposal.

Thirty-nine new positions will be filled, and 21 will be unfrozen for a total of 60 new firefighters.

An agreed upon OKC city budget is due in June.