BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — The Broken Arrow Police Department (BAPD) has made two major changes on it’s application process in order to attract more recruits.
“You are seeing a lot of departments do some big pushes and changes to see what they can do to help recruitment and so are we,” Officer Jonathan Klecka told FOX23.
The first change involves former military personnel.
The department requires 64 college credit hours, or an associates degree, to apply.
Servicemen and women can now get 32 of those hours waived.
“If they’ve got three years of full-time active duty service with an honorable discharge, they can get half of those college hours taken,” Klecka said.
The other change is geared toward attracting applicants with prior law enforcement experience through a Lateral Transfer Program.
“Whether you have experience or not you are going to come into the academy making just under $59,000 a year,” Klecka said.
However, under the lateral transfer program, “You can be offered up to just under $75,000,” Klecka told FOX23.
Klecka said it’s to hopefully ensure transfers never take a pay cut.
In many instances, Klecka said it will offer a pay raise.
BAPD plans to hire an estimated 24 new officers this year to replace others who plan to retire.
Ten of those positions have already been filled for an academy set to begin later this month.
They are now taking applications for the 14 other open positions in order to fill another academy set to start in August.
To learn more or apply, visit JoinBAPD.com.
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