Oklahoma Highway Patrol pay raise 2022

(KTEN) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has announced a big pay hike for Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers.

"I promised that we would provide law enforcement officers with competitive pay, and we got that one done," the Republican governor said on Tuesday. "Troopers of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are getting a 30 percent pay increase."

Right now, a starting trooper earns about $50,000; that salary will increase to around $65,000.

"The pay raise says to people 'Hey, the State of Oklahoma backs law enforcement,'" said Trooper Eric Foster.

Stitt announced the establishment of the Oklahoma First Responders Wellness Division, a program designed to recognize early stages of trauma and to help the first responders who need it.

"I think it'll be great for their mental health," said Madill resident Kiera Pinnick. "They'll be able to catch early signs of PTSD and mental health disorders that are really important to recognize in officers."

Tuesday, August 16th 2022, 7:42 pm

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Oklahoma Highway Troopers started their Tuesday with some good news. There's a new recruitment push, but that's not all. 

Governor Stitt signed a pay raise into law and announced a new partnership to get more troopers on Oklahoma roads.

Troopers will see bigger checks for the first time in approximately a decade. They also hope more people will want to wear the OHP uniform.

Before Tuesday, hopeful troopers needed either 62 college credit hours or an associate degree in hand to apply.

"We changed that this year,” Stitt said. “Now, the statute says you need to have sixty-two hours before you get commissioned as a state trooper.”

Stitt’s signature made the change official. It may be a small step by Gov. Stitt, but it's a giant leap for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

"It's really going to help these deputies, other municipal officers who want to come to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and they've gotten caught up in life and didn't have time to go through and get those 62 college credit hours," OHP Trooper Eric Foster said.

The program will be through a partnership with OSU-OKC. Troopers will earn up to 39 credit hours during an academy.

Prior police experience will also count as credits. One year is equal to 10 credits, and up to thirty can be applied.

"When these significant situations arise, the highway patrol comes in from all over the state and brings in assets,” Foster said. “Anything we can do to help resolve a situation with an agency, how close (they) are when they come. They're coming, but they may be coming from a county away or two counties away. This will ensure that the recruiting process is raised that the amount of troopers in a given area is thicker, so the response from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol will be greater.”

Troopers are getting a 30 percent pay raise. The new rates went into effect July 1.

"You talk about cost of living and the population explosion in the state of Oklahoma, to be the same pay rate as we were a decade ago, that kind of puts it into perspective," Foster said.

Stitt also announced the creation of a “Wellness Division,” a peer-to-peer program for troopers to catch early signs of trauma and get them the help they need.

Republican state lawmakers are pursuing 35% pay raises for Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers. 

Top state lawmakers have said increasing trooper pay is a priority this legislative session in order to recruit top law enforcement officers to the Department of Public Safety. 

The House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Public Safety advanced legislation Monday to grant 35% pay raises to commissioned Highway Patrol officers.

The raises are expected to cost $17 million next year, and would take effect for troopers at all salary levels. If approved, starting pay for troopers would jump to about $54,000 annually.

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State public safety officials have said the pay raises are needed because trooper salaries have fallen below those offered at other law enforcement agencies across the state. 

Rep. Ross Ford, R-Tulsa, said the pay bump would make Highway Patrol troopers the state's highest paid law enforcement officers. Edmond Police currently offers the highest salaries in the state, Ford said, referencing compensation information gathered by the Oklahoma State Fraternal Order of Police. 

When state trooper pay is "woefully behind" what other law enforcement agencies offer, the Highway Patrol isn't able to attract the best and brightest officers, said Ford, who chairs the public safety subcommittee and introduced House Bill 4386 to implement the pay raises. 

"It's imperative on the state to be competitive, and I also believe it's imperative on the state of Oklahoma that we pay our troopers and other law enforcement what they deserve," Ford said. 

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At a recent legislative forum, House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka expressed concerns about trooper pay being too low. He said it has been seven years since troopers got pay raises. 

The most recent pay bump took effect in 2015. At the time, starting trooper pay jumped nearly 23% from $33,192 to $40,000 annually.

"I am concerned about the level of funding that we have for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the number of troopers that we have that are eligible to retire and our ability to to find recruits and cadets to come in and fill those spots," McCall said. 

Senate Appropriations Chairman Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, said he thinks the pay raises will be possible this year. Thompson said he supports targeted pay increases this year for troopers, but not across-the-board raises for all state employees.

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For the first time in state history, lawmakers will have more than $10 billion to spend this year, although Gov. Kevin Stitt and state budget writers have said they intend to take a cautious approach to appropriating state funds.

"I think we need to do it," Thompson said. "We've got our troopers … and they have served beyond the call of duty over the last few years." 

The Department of Public Safety currently has about 720 troopers, although the agency is looking to have more than 1,000 on staff. 

In his State of the State speech this year, Stitt said he wants to prioritize the health and training of state troopers in addition to recruitment and retention.

In addition to calling for "competitive pay" for state law enforcement officers, Stitt pushed for the creation a first responders wellness division to expand mental health and trauma care.

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