A. An eligible employer may join the System on the first day of any month. Application for affiliation shall be in the form of a resolution approved by the governing body of the eligible employer or by any other body or officer authorized by law or recognized by the State Board to approve such resolution or action. Upon the filing of a certified copy of such resolution with the State Board, such election shall be irrevocable and the eligible municipality shall become a participating municipality on the first day of the month immediately following the filing of such election with the State Board. Participating municipalities shall be required to provide all documentation requested by the System relating to the administration of the System.

B. The State Board shall have final authority in determining eligibility for membership in the System, pursuant to the provisions of this article. A member claiming credit for prior municipal police service in Oklahoma shall file an application with the State Board. The date of filing such application shall be not more than ninety (90) days after the municipality's entry date. Any credit for such prior service shall not exceed five (5) years. Upon a favorable determination of the eligibility for and the amount of service credit under this section, the member shall pay the amount determined by the State Board pursuant to Section 50-111.4 of this title.

C. Any municipality that has a municipal police pension and retirement system prior to July 1, 1980, shall consolidate its system with the state System and become a participating municipality on the first entry date as provided in this article.

D. Any eligible employer of a municipality which is a participating employer in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System on July 1, 1996, may become a participating municipality of the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System if and only if a certified copy of a resolution approved by the governing body of the eligible employer or by any other body or officer authorized by law or recognized by the Board to approve such a resolution, is filed with the Board. Such election shall be irrevocable.

1. All eligible officers who are initially employed in such a position on or after the date when the municipality becomes a participating municipality shall be members of the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System and shall have no right to participate in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System.

2. All eligible officers who were employed in such a position prior to the date when the municipality becomes a participating municipality shall have the right to make a one-time election on or before six (6) months following the date that the municipality became a participating municipality to participate in the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System. Any such employee who fails to make the election provided in this paragraph shall remain in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System.

a.Eligible officers electing to participate in the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System shall be allowed to withdraw their accumulated contributions or elect a vested benefit in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System as provided in Section 917 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

b.Eligible officers electing to participate in the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System may file a claim for prior municipal police service in Oklahoma with the State Board and may receive the prior service credit, not to exceed five (5) years, upon payment for the service at the actuarial cost as determined by the State Board. In no event, however, shall any eligible officer electing to participate in the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System be allowed to receive credit or benefits in the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System for years of service for which the officer is already receiving or eligible to receive retirement credit or benefits in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System.

Added by Laws 1980, c. 356, § 11, eff. Jan. 1, 1981. Amended by Laws 1987, c. 236, § 153, emerg. eff. July 20, 1987; Laws 1990, c. 340, § 6, eff. July 1, 1990; Laws 1993, c. 352, § 1, eff. July 1, 1993; Laws 1996, c. 333, § 1, eff. July 1, 1996; Laws 2001, c. 183, § 2, emerg. eff. May 2, 2001; Laws 2003, c. 51, § 5, eff. July 1, 2003.