Question 1

What are the requirements to become a police officer?

Accepted Answer

Must be between the ages of 21 and 45 years of age, unless the individual is already a member of the Oklahoma Police Pension.Must have at least 64 hours of college credit from an accredited college or university or an Associate Degree. Colleges or Universities must be accredited through an accreditation agency approved by the US Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/accreditationWe also give credit for previous full-time law enforcement and military experience. See our qualifications page for more information.

Question 2

I have been arrested in the past; will this prevent me from becoming a police officer?

Accepted Answer

That depends on what specific violation the arrest was related to and whether you were convicted or you are participating in a deferred sentencing agreement.Must not have been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude.No convictions of a "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence."Must have no convictions of operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence or impaired by alcohol or drugs, or convictions of careless or reckless driving in the past seven (7) years.Must have no more than three (3) moving traffic violations in the past five (5) years or have in excess of one at-fault accident and two moving traffic violations in the past (5) years.

Question 3

Am I disqualified if I have ever used illegal drugs?

Accepted Answer

Past use of illegal drugs is not an automatic disqualification. We will take into consideration the amount of time that has passed since your last use and also what type and amount of substances you were using to determine if you would be selected for a job offer.

Question 4

Are tattoos allowed?

Accepted Answer

Tattoos are allowed as long as they are not visible below the wrist or above the collar. Tattoos that are visible outside of the authorized areas maybe required to be covered with use of a bandage or approved cover-up. All tattoos must be declared and tattoos that are offensive or unprofessional may required to be covered while in uniform.

Question 5

Are beards allowed for police officers?

Accepted Answer

Generally, beards and goatees are not allowed to be worn by uniformed personnel. The Chief of Police can grant special authorizations, but this is generally reserved for officers serving in undercover assignments.

Question 6

Do you have take-home vehicles?

Accepted Answer

Every officer is assigned a fully equipped vehicle for law enforcement purposes. There is no requirement to live within the city limits of Broken Arrow, however there is a limit for how far an officer can take a vehicle outside of city limits. Our negotiated collective bargaining agreement with the City Administration includes a map of the take-home vehicle boundaries.

Question 7

What schedule does the academy keep?

Accepted Answer

The Broken Arrow Police Department is an Academy City meaning we are authorized to run our own police academy subject to approval by The Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training. Our Basic Police Academy last for 28 weeks and is run on a schedule of 10-hour shifts 4 days a week. Generally the class starts at 7:00 am and runs until 5:00pm. Days and specific hours are subject to adjustments based on city observed holidays and the training requirements. Some subjects instructed during the academy need to be conducted after-hours or later at night. All academy recruits get to return home at night and will not housed on site.

Question 8

How do I prepare to become a police officer?

Accepted Answer

We are looking for candidates with good moral character who have gained some life experience and would be ready to step into the role of being a police officer. There are many factors that can go into preparing yourself for the challenge of being a police officer.Making sure you are physically ready is a first step: Scoring in our physical fitness testing is better when you are able to exceed the minimum qualification standards. Strive to not just meet the minimum but go above and beyond in your performance.Make the most of your time during college and gain other valuable experience working with other people in employment, volunteering, sports, etc.Work experience within the criminal justice field is valuable to show that you know how to work with others in a group setting and how to deal with a high-stress, quick paced environment. If you don’t have any work experience to push you over the top, you might first look to gain a position as a jailer, dispatcher, or other position related to law enforcement.Military service and time at other law enforcements agencies are also a big factor toward showing you might be ready for the challenge.Other things you might consider are making sure you know what type of organization you are trying to join. Look to participate in our ride-along program, apply to attend our citizen’s police academy, participate in an internship.

Frequently Asked Questions