CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
When you join the Tulsa Police Department, you gain all the benefits of a larger Department, including many career path and development opportunities. In fact, TPD has over 400 non-patrol, specialty assignment officers. After just three years on the job, you can apply to any number of these opportunities. Below are a few of TPD's Specialty Units.
SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM
TPD's S.O.T. is responsible for handling situations involving hostages, armed/barricaded suspects, and suicidal subjects. They also provide protection to visiting dignitaries and assist other agencies in serving high-risk search warrants.
AIR SUPPORT UNIT
The TPD Air Support Unit is comprised of two helicopters and a team of four pilots, these aerial units are on-call 24/7/365 to fly in support of Tulsa Police operations.
SEXUAL PREDATOR INVESTIGATIONS AND DIGITAL EVIDENCE RECOVERY UNIT (SPDR)
The SPDR Unit is the evolution of the former TPD Cyber Crimes Unit which was originally formed in January of 2000. The Unit investigates internet crimes against children. The unit also operates the TPD Digital Evidence Recovery Lab which uses advanced techniques and equipment to recover digital evidence from a wide variety of devices. The Unit provides technical support for homicide, robbery, sex crimes, child crisis, burglary, financial crimes and other regional investigators.
BOMB SQUAD
The TPD Bomb Squad detects and renders safe chemical, biological, and radiological devices. Duties also include post-blast investigation, dignitary protection details, explosive breaching, and assisting outside agencies.
DETECTIVE DIVISION
The TPD Detective Division encompasses many units and functions, including: Homicide, Auto Theft, Major Crimes, Robbery, Fugitive Warrants, Burglary, Cyber Crimes, Child Crisis, Exploitation, Financial Crimes, Family Violence, Special Victims, and more.
INCIDENT MANAGEMENT
The TPD all-hazard Incident Management Team (IMT) plays an essential role in the management of, and response to, local/regional/national emergencies, natural disasters and public events.
MAJOR CRIMES
The TPD Major Crimes Unit is comprised of specialized crime scene investigators. This unit is dispatched to all major crime scenes to coordinate investigation and evidence collection.
TRAINING DIVISION
The TPD Training Division includes the Tulsa Police Academy, the Tulsa Police Firing Range (with full-time range staff), and in-service and continuing education training for TPD officers and other state and federal law enforcement agencies.
K9 - EXPLOSIVE DETECTION
TPD currently has six K9 teams in the explosive detection unit, all specially trained by the TSA. They are primarily utilized at the Tulsa International Airport with Tulsa Police Officers as their handlers, and are trained to detect explosive threats.
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS
TPD SID includes a variety of units and functions including: Narcotics, Vice, DEA/FBI/Joint Terrorism Task Forces, Organized Gang Unit, Crime Gun Unit, Intelligence, and more.
HONOR GUARD
In addition to providing honors at funeral services for all active, line-of-duty, and retired Tulsa Police Officers, the TPD Honor Guard also attends the services of officers killed in the line-of-duty and active officers who pass away in the state of Oklahoma and surrounding states.
PIPE & DRUM
The TPD Pipe & Drum Unit is comprised solely of Tulsa Police Officers - current, retired, and reserve - with the purpose of honoring our fellow officers at Academy graduations, honors and awards ceremonies, and funerals.
DIVE TEAM
The TPD Dive Team has 14 team members (PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors and/or Dive Master Certified). The Unit performs public safety diving service in "recovery" mode, while the "rescue" function is performed by the Tulsa Fire Department.
MOTORCYCLE SQUAD
The TPD Motorcycle Squad ensures street safety through traffic law enforcement and education. This team has issued more than 20,000 citations per year for the last four years, and presents more than two dozen community driver safety programs annually.