By: Jennifer Pierce
OKLAHOMA CITY -
A number of metro police agencies are looking for recruits but report having a tough time finding qualified applicants.
As some police agencies face defunding or cutbacks, the Oklahoma City Police Department has one of the largest budgets in history, and with that, comes new challenges.
The department introduced its 143rd academy Friday. The 25 recruits will face 28 weeks of training before they train in the field.
“That’s going to include mental health training, de-escalation, control and defense tactics,” Oklahoma City Police Department Sgt. Megan Morgan said. “It’s going to include training in driving and firearms.”
Updated: 7:19 PM CDT Jul 9, 2021 KOCO Staff One-hundred fifty spots are ready to be filled inside Oklahoma’s largest police department.If you’re interested in joining the force, there’s a job fair Saturday. OCPD explained what they’re looking for in applicants.With retirements and a new budget passed by the city council, the Oklahoma City Police Department is hosting a recruitment event this weekend for those who are looking to become officers. “We just kind of hit a wave where there were a few more retirements than normal, but those waves come every few years, and because we’ve just had the largest budget we’ve ever had passed by city council, they also unlocked several positions that were previously locked up,” OCPD’s Sgt. Megan Morgan said. Everyone applying will need to complete a number of tasks, including an obstacle course and simulator.“The simulator is set up to kind of be a more realistic of what it s like when officers respond t
Oklahoman
The 143rd police academy of the Oklahoma City Police Department began Friday as the department seeks to fill more than 150 open positions. It s a stressful day, but they know that the faster they come together and they unite as a team, the more successful that they re going to be, said Recruiting Sgt. Megan Morgan.
The newest class comprises 25 recruits, 23 men and two women. They range in age from 21 to 40 years old. Morgan said there is a possibility that not all 25 recruits will make it to the end of the 28-week academy. The recruits in this class are going to undergo over 1,000 hours of training, she said.
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