Tulsa Police Dept. Experiencing Dispatcher Shortage, What To Know If You Want To Apply

The City of Tulsa has several job openings at the dispatch center.

Several people have retired and not as many people are applying as in the past.

The dispatch supervisor said they normally have around 100 employees, but right now they need to fill 22 positions. 

Tulsa dispatch said one reason for the high number of vacancies, is confusion about the city of Tulsa's hiring freeze.

The hiring freeze does not apply to public safety jobs, which means these positions can be filled immediately. 

“This is not just a job. This is not something that we expect people to come and work for six months to a year. This is a career path. You can start in dispatch and you can move up into management and you can stay with the city of Tulsa for many years. There are retirements; there are benefits you can get out of dispatch because it’s not just a job," said Tulsa Captain Richard Meulenberg. 

Captain Meulenberg said applicants will go through a paid five week dispatch training program.

He said dispatchers are currently working overtime to fill in the gaps, but they need to fill these positions as soon as possible. He said it's crucial to keep Tulsans safe. 

“Working for dispatch can be stressful. We recognize that and, unfortunately, since we’re down so many people we’re seeing the affects of stress on the people who are there. They are working diligently and very hard. They are the first line that talks to citizens for fire, medical, or police. We require them to be there. The citizens need them to be there. We have to get these positions filled," said Captain Meulenberg.

For more information on how to apply, click here.