OHP Welcomes 70th Academy As Higher Wages Become Possible

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is welcoming its 70th academy and because of new legislation, the job could soon come with a bigger salary.

Currently, the department is down more than 300 troopers and it’s difficult to recruit when nearby police departments have higher wages.

House bill 4386 would give state troopers a 35% pay increase.

Right now, the starting salary for an OHP trooper is a little under $50,000.

This potential raise would increase that to nearly $67,000.

The bill passed unanimously in the House and now heads to the Senate.

Another change coming for this new recruiting class is the college requirement to apply for the academy. 

Applicants to the 70th academy will only need to have 24 college credit hours.

Per state statute, candidates must have a minimum of 62 semester hours.

But a bill making its way through the legislature this session would allow candidates to apply with only 24 credit hours, and then obtain the other 38 during the academy, 2.5 years of honorable active or reserve military service, or a combination of college hours and military service.

The hope is more people with a passion for law enforcement will come out and apply.

"If you're a person that wants to help others, you have always been that person that you want to stand in the gap. When you see someone is maybe a victim of something and it stirs something up within you to say no, I'm not going to let that happen." said Trooper Foster of OHP.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol is looking for great candidates who are physically fit and has changed the physical fitness test beginning with this academy.

Candidates will perform a 500-meter row, 40 air squats, 30 sit-ups, 20 push-ups and a one-mile run.

Cadets reside at the academy, located at the Robert R. Lester Training Center in Oklahoma City, for the duration of the academy.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says that the academy is very structured. 

During academy training, a typical day begins with physical training, drill and ceremony as well as inspections prior to the classroom instruction.

The evening hours are used for course studies, assignment completions, practical exercises and preparation for the following day. 

The workdays for cadets vary from 12 to 18 hours.

Cadets going into an academy are strongly encouraged to be in top physical condition. 

OHP's Trooper Foster says that all of the hard work will pay off.

"It is not a job. This is a calling, this is someone who must have a servant's heart. Someone who must be willing to put in hard work..." said Trooper Foster.

Applications to enroll in this academy close April 16th.

Anyone interested can learn more about the requirements and how to apply by clicking here.