Vaccination mandate scrapped for new recruits

A vaccine mandate once directed at new Oklahoma City Police Department recruits has been rescinded, city officials announced Wednesday.

The hiring prerequisite instituted this summer for both new police hires and fire recruits required applicants either to be already vaccinated or be willing to be vaccinated upon hiring.

“The Oklahoma City Police Department has dropped its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all new hires and recruits. So neither the vaccine nor a negative test are required to become a police recruit,” read a brief statement released to the media by Oklahoma City Police Dept. spokesman Gary Knight.

The mandate was announced with the idea of protecting recruits from getting sick during time-sensitive, intensive training done in close quarters. Police officials said the mandate

did not have a major impact on recruitment numbers, although some recruits did opt out because of the rule.

“So the vaccine is still encouraged; however, now it’s no longer mandated,” said Sgt. Megan Morgan, recruiting sergeant for the Oklahoma City Police Dept. “That being said, yes, we’re hopeful that the changing of that policy will help recruiting efforts.”

Some cities and states have issued COVID vaccine requirements for public employees and police, and some officers have been fired for refusing to take the vaccine.

In 2021, COVID-19 has been responsible for more than quadruple the number of law enforcement deaths nationwide than gunfire, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a group that tracks on-duty police deaths.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department has made no announcement about scrapping its vaccine mandate.

An upfront bonus of $5,500 for new police and fire recruits, along with bonuses for other new city employees, was announced by city officials Monday to address hiring shortages across a spectrum of city jobs.

Additionally, the police department is recruiting for two separate police academies that will take place next year.

In April, the academy class will be for applicants with previous law enforcement experience who will then be eligible for higher starting salaries, while the class starting in July will be for first-time recruits.

Oklahoma City’s police department finds itself in a situation similar to other police departments around the country.

For Oklahoma City police, voluntary terminations, including retirement and non-retirement exits, increased by 183% from 2016-17 to 2020-21, which is on

par with other departments nationwide. Those departures in Oklahoma City left the department with 160

vacant positions, as its most recent recruit class that began July 9 comprises 25 members.

CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN Staff Sgt. Clint Music addresses a member of recruit class 143 as they assemble for the first day of training at the Oklahoma City Police and Fire Training Center July 9. Oklahoma City has rescinded a COVID vaccine mandate for new police recruits.