Metro Police Agencies Remain Competitive As They Recruit New Officers

The Oklahoma City Police Department announced some big incentives Thursday afternoon to get more recruits in the door.  

Several departments in the state of Oklahoma are struggling with recruitment. 

While there are several options, Edmond Police is right there with OCPD when it comes to a starting wage 

“Every police department is hiring, not just in the state, but again in the country and we are all competing for the same individuals,” Wade Gourley, the Chief of Police for the Oklahoma City Police Department, said. 

Agencies are now getting creative to get recruits, for Oklahoma City that means a 24 percent increase in their starting salary along with a $10,000 signing bonus. 

“That brings their salary to $61,700. Current police officers that have two years experience, they are going to start at $65,270, but they must go through the entire academy,” Gourley said.  

Their neighbors up north at the Edmond Police Department are right there with them. 

“Once you’re accepted into the academy you will get paid through the 21-week course, and that salary is 62,114 a year. Once you complete the academy and you complete field training, which is your process after you graduate the academy, but before you’re out on your own, it goes up to over 68,000,” Emily Ward, the Public Information Officer for the Edmond Police Department, said

Oklahoma City Police will kick off their first academy in a couple of weeks.  

The Edmond Police Department is accepting applications through Jan. 6 and will start the academy on June 12.   

“I think that we have a lot of great agencies around us. There are a lot of choices here in the metro and we’re all different in different ways,” Ward said.  

One of those differences is the kind of living each city has to offer.  

“Edmond is a small-town feel, and Oklahoma City is a big town. You have to just decide what is right for you as you get into this career. We are a very small agency with civilians and everything, I think we are around 128. You know everybody in the building, and that is different than some other agencies...that is really special,” she said.  

Both departments offer full benefits along with incentives like tuition reimbursement.