Tulsa Police is heading into 2024 still needing to hire more officers.

The department currently has around 800 officers, but Chief Wendell Franklin's goal is around 950.

Chief Franklin says it is tough across the country right now to recruit officers because departments are fishing from the same pool.

He says they are constantly trying new things to attract new officers.

The city started offering a $15,000 sign-on bonus for new officers back in 2022, but Chief Franklin says it didn't help draw enough interest, so that bonus has expired.

TPD runs three academies a year with a goal of having 25 to 30 people in each, but the department will start the January class with only 12.

TPD says they have made some gains in recruiting now that college credit is offered through the academy.

The department has agreements with Oklahoma State, Northeastern State, East Central University, Rogers State and New Mexico State.

Franklin says there's no doubt they need more officers, but he also says there is a standard that he won't change.

"There are some departments that have loosened their restrictions; we have not,” said Franklin. “I just know that if I go down that path of loosening those restrictions, then two, three, or five years from now, there’s going to be an issue with those individuals we have hired."

If you'd like to apply, you can go to their website.

There are two more academies open for this year.