OSU Event Encourages Students To Consider Public Safety Careers

Local organizations are getting together to encourage college students to think about a career in law enforcement as departments all over struggle to recruit new hires.

Saturday's explore public safety event allowed anyone interested in a career in law enforcement to meet Tulsa Police Department Officers and see TPD vehicles up close while also learning about careers in public safety.

Law enforcement agencies across the nation are having trouble getting enough recruits, including in Tulsa.

That's why the Tulsa Police Department recently decided to work with OSU-Tulsa to create a program where graduates with a public safety degree will have an opportunity for a career with TPD.

Emily Keleher attended this event with her daughter who is interested in a career in public safety.

She says she learned a lot.

"Well, my daughter is interested in forensic psychology, which is part of public safety, so we thought we would come out and see what they had to offer," Keleher said.

Megan Pitt, recruitment manager at OSU-Tulsa, says this is the first time the university's held an event like this.

"One of our goals at OSU-Tulsa and especially with the college of professional studies, which is the college where this degree lives, is to be workforce responsive. We really want to contribute to the development, growth, and betterment of Tulsa and what better way to contribute to that than to improve our police department," Pitt said.

Victoria Cothran wants to go into law enforcement because she's interested in what happens during a crime, and why people commit them.

"They told me I might have to go through the academy which I'm kind of looking forward to. I really would like to work with some of them because I would work with the police stations," Cothran said.