Sen. David knows the importance of good training and proper mental health as her husband is a retired U.S. Marshal and former Broken Arrow police officer. He now serves as a certified critical incident response councilor and sits on the board of the Warriors’ Rest Foundation. “Coming from a law enforcement family, I remember seeing how training improved the officers around us, and I want to make sure that all Oklahoma law enforcement agencies have access to the high quality training they need to properly protect themselves and the public,” David said. “People see the chaos in our country and think it’s happening in their own backyard, but we have tremendous law enforcement officers in Oklahoma. However, they are struggling with recruitment and retention in this difficult time. Our law enforcement is under unimaginable stress and we must protect them and their mental health. We need to reassure young people that this is a great profession and keep our brave men and women from leaving this honorable profession.”
Thompson echoed David’s sentiments thanking the speakers for their dedication to helping Oklahoma’s law enforcement officers.
“We received some great information in this study and want to thank everyone who is working with us to figure out how to best train our law enforcement and improve departments and agencies across the state. We strongly support these courageous public servants, and these issues will be prioritized this session,” Thompson said. “While these officers have selflessly dedicated their lives to protecting the public, we must ensure that they’re also taking care of their families, themselves and their mental health.”
Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin and Eufaula Police Chief Mark Goodwin shared their perspectives on current law enforcement training along with the need for further mental health assistance for officers. Tulsa Police Department has its own academy and requires 1,060 hours of training as well as a bachelor’s degree for employment. Before going out on their own, Tulsa officers receive a total of nine months of training. The Eufaula Police Department receives the state mandated 583 hours of CLEET training plus any additional training required for the Department once an officer returns from CLEET training. Their testimony showed the differences in training resources for urban and rural law enforcement agencies. Both acknowledged that additional funding for further training would be beneficial in all law enforcement agencies
