Tulsa is the second-largest city in Oklahoma, with a population of over 400,000.1 Known for its energy sector, art deco architecture, and role as the commercial and cultural hub of northeastern Oklahoma, Tulsa offers a range of opportunities for law enforcement professionals. In a December 2023 News Channel 8 Tulsa (KTUL) reported the Tulsa Police Department (TPD) had just over 800 sworn officers at the time against an authorized strength of approximately 940 and is actively recruiting to close that gap.2 Men and women who want to join the Tulsa Police Department will find information on the application, selection, and training process below.

Tulsa Police Officer Requirements

To be considered for a sworn officer position with the TPD, candidates must meet the following minimum qualifications:

  • Be between 21 and 45 years of age
  • Be a US citizen who establishes residence in the Tulsa metropolitan area after hire
  • Hold a bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of at least 2.00 from an accredited college or university
  • Have no felony convictions or convictions for crimes of moral turpitude
  • Have not used illicit drugs, or prescription drugs not prescribed to the applicant, within the two years preceding application
  • Contact a TPD recruiter regarding any prior marijuana use

Applying to TPD begins by submitting an information form through the department’s recruiting site, after which a recruiter schedules initial testing at the Tulsa Police Training Division. Initial testing combines a written examination, a physical ability course, and the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16pf). Candidates who clear initial testing move on to a Structured Oral Assessment, a background investigation led by a veteran TPD officer, and review of the full application packet by the Chief of Police, who selects candidates for a conditional offer of employment and a seat in an upcoming academy class.

For an overview of how to become a law enforcement officer in a large city, see 10 Steps to Becoming a Police Officer on our home page. For full details on each step and to apply, visit the Tulsa Police Department recruiting site.

Tulsa Police Academy

All new recruits attend the Tulsa Police Academy, operated by the TPD Training Division and certified through Oklahoma’s Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET). The academy delivers 1,093 hours of basic training, which exceeds the state-mandated minimum.3 Coursework covers classroom instruction in law and police procedures, physical training, defensive tactics, firearms, driver training, scenario-based exercises, emergency medical response, and de-escalation.3 After graduating from the academy, recruits complete 16 weeks of field training alongside a certified field training officer before being assigned to regular patrol duty.3

Salary, Benefits, and Jobs Outlook

TPD recruits are paid as full employees during academy training, earning a base salary of $55,910.4 The department reports that a typical first-year officer earns approximately $70,401 once overtime and holiday pay are included, and that topped-out officers earn more than $109,000 per year before overtime and holiday pay once longevity is applied.4 Officers are paid biweekly on a 40-hour workweek, and pay step progression follows the annual labor agreement between the City of Tulsa and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 93.4

Service TimeAnnual Base SalaryMonthly Base
Academy Recruit$55,910$4,659
First-Year Officer (average)*$70,401$5,867
Top Step (with longevity)$109,000+$9,083+

*The first-year figure reflects typical earnings with overtime and holiday pay, per the TPD recruitment site.

Beyond base pay, TPD offers a range of incentive pay and benefits. Officers who hold a bachelor’s degree receive a $100 monthly education incentive, and those demonstrating proficiency in Spanish, Vietnamese, or American Sign Language may qualify for a $100 monthly second-language incentive.4 Longevity pay begins after three years of service at $1,350 per year and increases each year thereafter, reaching $9,000 per year once an officer passes 20 years of service.4 An $850 annual uniform allowance is provided after academy graduation, along with standard-issue equipment.4

Medical and dental benefit options are available to officers and their dependents, with the city paying the full dental premium for the employee and 90% of the employee’s medical premium, plus a portion of dependent medical coverage.4 Additional benefits include paid life insurance equal to twice annual salary, long-term disability coverage providing 60% of monthly salary for up to 24 months after a 90-day qualifying period, and injury leave that covers full salary for up to 180 days for job-related injuries.4 Vacation accrues at nine hours per month for the first five years of service and scales up with tenure, and officers earn eight hours of sick leave per month.4

Retirement is provided through the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System. Officers become vested after 10 years of service and may retire after 20 years regardless of age, receiving 50% of their average salary over the highest-paid 30 consecutive months during the final 60 months of service. Retirement pay increases by 3% for each additional year of service beyond 20, to a maximum of 90% after 30 years.4

In Oklahoma, employment of police and sheriff’s patrol officers is projected to grow 9.9% from 2022 to 2032, with approximately 900 new positions added each year on average, according to Projections Central.5 The number of officers hired by TPD in any given year is also influenced by retirements and the city’s public safety budget.

Find open Tulsa police officer listings on our jobs board.

Career Advancement at TPD

After completing the academy and 16 weeks of field training, new TPD officers begin regular patrol duty at the PD-01 pay grade, with pay step increases tied to the annual labor agreement.4 With patrol experience, officers become eligible to test or apply for promotion into the department’s supervisory and command ranks, which advance through the rank of major, then to three deputy chief positions, with the Chief of Police leading the department.6 TPD reports that topped-out sergeants earn more than $117,000 per year and topped-out lieutenants earn more than $124,000 per year, both excluding overtime and holiday pay.4

Cities and Police Departments Near Tulsa

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 2,200 police and sheriff’s patrol officers worked in the Tulsa metropolitan area as of May 2024, with a mean annual wage of $65,930.7 While TPD is the largest municipal law enforcement agency in the region, officers can also explore career opportunities with the Broken Arrow Police Department, the Owasso Police Department, the Sapulpa Police Department, the Jenks Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. For more information about police departments across the state, see our Oklahoma page.

Additional Resources

  • Oklahoma Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association: Membership association representing law enforcement personnel from city, county, state, tribal, and federal agencies across Oklahoma, offering training programs, awards, and legislative engagement.
  • Oklahoma State Fraternal Order of Police: State-level FOP body representing more than 6,000 full-time peace officers through approximately 80 local lodges, providing legal defense, legislative advocacy, and fraternal support.
  • Tulsa Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 93: The local FOP lodge and bargaining unit for Tulsa Police officers, established 1937; negotiates the TPD labor contract and operates a benevolent fund for members and their families.

Tulsa Police Department Contact

1. US Census Bureau, QuickFacts, Tulsa city, Oklahoma: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/tulsacityoklahoma/PST045224
2. CJ Maclin, News Channel 8 Tulsa (KTUL), December 20, 2023: National shortage of police officers affects Tulsa | BAPD fully staffed with pay increase
3. Tulsa Police Department, Training Division: https://www.tulsapolice.org/training-division
4. Tulsa Police Department Recruiting, Salary and Benefits: https://www.jointpd.com/salary-benefits
5. Projections Central, Long-Term Occupational Projections, Oklahoma: https://projectionscentral.org/longterm
6. Tulsa Police Department, Leadership and Structure: https://www.tulsapolice.org/leadershipstructure
7. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Tulsa, OK: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2024/may/oes_46140.htm