Police Officer Requirements - Oklahoma

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Minimum Requirements to be a Police Officer in Oklahoma

Oklahoma police officer requirements and qualifications

Published: August 18, 2024

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To become a police officer in Oklahoma, candidates must meet specific qualifications and requirements as established by the state and various law enforcement agencies.

Below is an overview of the key requirements:

Minimum Qualifications

Age: Must be between 21 and 45 years old at the time of application.

Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien as defined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Education: Must possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent.

Driver’s License: Must hold a valid driver’s license.

Criminal Record: Must not have any felony convictions, crimes of moral turpitude, or domestic violence incidents.

Background Check: Must pass a thorough background investigation, including fingerprint clearance from the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Physical and Mental Fitness: Must pass a physical fitness test and a psychological evaluation using an instrument approved by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET).

CLEET Certification: Candidates must be commissioned or appointed by a law enforcement agency prior to attending CLEET-approved certification training.

Military Discharges: Must not have been dishonorably discharged from the military; those with other discharge types are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Additional Requirements

Residency: For certain departments like the Tulsa Police Department, candidates must reside in the Tulsa Metropolitan area once hired.

Visual and Hearing Standards: Candidates must meet specific visual and hearing standards, such as having far visual acuity of at least 20/30 in each eye with or without corrective lenses and no more than a 40db hearing loss in the better ear.

Do Your Research

While state-level qualifications set the baseline for becoming a police officer, individual police agencies often implement stricter hiring standards to align with their specific needs and values.

These enhanced criteria can include regulations on tattoos, facial hair, background checks, and more.

Additionally, agencies might conduct more rigorous background checks than the state requires, diving deeper into an applicant’s history, including financial records, social media activity, and past behavior, to ensure candidates meet the department's ethical and professional standards.

Be sure to conduct more research into the requirements, qualifications, and disqualifications for specific agencies so that you are well prepared before entering their hiring process

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Sources

Oklahoma Police Officer Requirements | Go Law Enforcement
Requirements to Join the Tulsa Police Department
Oklahoma State Government - Police Officer Qualifications

Disclaimer

The requirements and qualifications for becoming a police officer may be subject to change due to updates in state legislation and public safety laws.

We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information; however, we recommend verifying with the relevant state or local law enforcement authorities to ensure compliance with the current standards and requirements.