A. The Commissioner of Public Safety, subject to the Oklahoma Personnel Act, shall appoint:

1. A Chief of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division with the rank of Colonel, Deputy Chiefs of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and subordinate officers and employees of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division, including Majors, Captains, Lieutenants, and Highway Patrolmen with the rank of Trooper, who shall comprise the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division of the Department of Public Safety; provided, any officer appointed to a commissioned position prescribed in this paragraph which is unclassified pursuant to Section 840-5.5 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall have a right of return to the highest previously held classified commissioned position within the Highway Patrol Division of the Department of Public Safety without any loss of rights, privileges or benefits immediately upon completion of the duties in the unclassified commissioned position;

2. A Captain, Lieutenants, and Patrolmen who shall comprise the Marine Enforcement Section of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division of the Department of Public Safety;

3. A Captain, Lieutenants, and Patrolmen, who shall comprise the Capitol Patrol Section of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division of the Department of Public Safety; and

4. Communications Coordinators, Communications Superintendents, Communications Supervisors, Communications Dispatchers, Radio Technicians and Tower Maintenance Officers shall comprise the Communications Division of the Department of Public Safety.

B. 1. The Commissioner, when appointing commissioned officers and employees to the positions set out in subsection A of this section, shall determine, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, minimum qualifications and shall select such officers and employees only after examinations to determine their physical and mental qualifications for such positions. The content of the examinations shall be prescribed by the Commissioner, and all such appointees shall satisfactorily complete a course of training in operations and procedures as prescribed by the Commissioner.

2. No person shall be appointed to any position set out in subsection A of this section unless the person is a citizen of the United States of America, of good moral character, and:

a.for commissioned officer positions, shall be at least twenty-one (21) years of age but less than forty-six (46) years of age, and shall possess:

(1)an associate’s degree or a minimum of sixty-two (62) successfully completed semester hours from an accredited college or university as denoted in the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs provided by the U.S. Department of Education and whose hours are transferable between such recognized institutions, or

(2)shall have successfully completed thirty-two (32) semester hours from an accredited college or university as denoted in the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs provided by the U.S. Department of Education and whose hours are transferable between such recognized institutions and have three (3) years of honorable active military or reserve military service,

b.applicants with prior military service, shall receive up to ten (10) semester hours for each year of honorable service in any active military or reserve military service up to a maximum of three (3) years or thirty (30) semester hours, and

c.for any such position in the Communications Division, a person shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age and shall possess a high school diploma or General Educational Development equivalency certificate.

3. No commissioned officer of the Department shall, while in such position, be a candidate for any political office or take part in or contribute any money or other thing of value, directly or indirectly, to any political campaign or to any candidate for public office. Anyone convicted of violating the provisions of this paragraph shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided by law.

4. The Commissioner or any employee of the Department shall not be a candidate for any political office, or in any way be active or participate in any political contest of any Primary, General, or Special Election, except to cast a ballot. No commissioned officer of the Department, while in the performance of the officer’s assigned duty of providing security and protection, shall be considered as participating in a political campaign. The provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to preclude a commissioned officer of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division of the Department of Public Safety from being a candidate for a position on a local board of education.

5. Drunkenness or being under the influence of intoxicating substances shall be sufficient grounds for the removal of any commissioned officer of the Department, in and by the manner provided for in this section.

C. 1. Upon initial appointment to the position of Cadet Highway Patrolman or Probationary Communications Dispatcher, the appointed employee shall be required to serve an initial probationary period of twelve (12) months. The Commissioner may extend the probationary period for up to three (3) additional months provided that the employee and the Office of Management and Enterprise Services are notified in writing as to such action and the reasons thereof. During such probationary period, the employee may be terminated at any time and for any reason at the discretion of the Commissioner. Retention in the service after expiration of the initial probationary period shall entitle such employee to be classified as a permanent employee and the employee shall be so classified. No permanent employee may be discharged or removed except as provided for in this section.

2. A commissioned officer of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division may be promoted during the initial probationary period if such officer satisfactorily completes all training requirements prescribed by the Commissioner.

D. 1. No permanent employee, as provided for in this section, who is a commissioned officer of the Department, may be suspended without pay or dismissed unless the employee has been notified in writing by the Commissioner of such intended action and the reasons thereof. No such notice shall be given by the Commissioner unless sworn charges or statements have been obtained to justify the action.

2. Whenever such charges are preferred, the Commissioner may suspend the accused pending the hearing and final determination of such charges. If the charges are not sustained in whole or in part, the accused shall be entitled to pay during the period of such suspension. If the charges are sustained in whole or in part, the accused shall not receive any pay for the period of such suspension.

3. Commissioned officers of the Department of Public Safety are not entitled to appeal intra-agency transfer to the Oklahoma Merit Protection Commission pursuant to the Oklahoma Personnel Act unless transfer is in violation of Section 840-2.5 or 840-2.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

4. The Department of Public Safety shall follow the uniform grievance procedure established and adopted by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for permanent classified employees, except for those employees who are commissioned officers of the Department. The Department of Public Safety shall establish and adopt a proprietary grievance procedure for commissioned officers of the Department which is otherwise in compliance with the provisions of Section 840-6.2 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

E. 1. The Commissioner is hereby authorized to purchase and issue uniforms and necessary equipment for all commissioned officers of the Highway Patrol Division of the Department. All uniforms and equipment shall be used only in the performance of the official duties of such officers and shall remain the property of the Department, except as provided in Section 2-150 of this title.

2. Each commissioned officer of the Highway Patrol Division of the Department of Public Safety shall be entitled to reimbursement of expenses pursuant to the State Travel Reimbursement Act while away from the assigned area of the officer as designated by the Chief of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division, when such expense is incurred in the service of the state.

F. 1. The positions with the rank of Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division shall be filled from the body of commissioned officers of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division and appointment to said position shall be based on qualifications, previous record as a commissioned officer of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division, length of service, years of experience within the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division or other service as prescribed in this subsection, and efficiency of service performed.

2. In addition to the requirements of paragraph 1 of this subsection, the position of Chief of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division shall be based on one of the following:

a.one (1) year of experience in any combination:

(1)as Commissioner of Public Safety,

(2)as Assistant Commissioner of Public Safety, or

(3)as Assistant Chief,

b.two (2) years of experience in any combination:

(1)as Deputy Chief or higher rank, or

(2)if the experience was prior to April 21, 2006, as Major or higher rank,

c.four (4) years of experience in any combination:

(1)as Major or higher rank, or

(2)if the experience was prior to April 21, 2006, as Captain or higher rank, or

d.six (6) years of experience in any combination:

(1)as Captain or higher rank, or

(2)if the experience was prior to April 21, 2006, as First Lieutenant or higher rank.

3. In addition to the requirements of paragraph 1 of this subsection, the position of Deputy Chief of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division shall be based on one of the following:

a.one (1) year of experience in any combination:

(1)as Commissioner of Public Safety,

(2)as Assistant Commissioner of Public Safety, or

(3)as Colonel,

b.two (2) years of experience in any combination:

(1)as Major or higher rank, or

(2)if the experience was prior to April 21, 2006, as Captain or higher rank, or

c.four (4) years of experience in any combination:

(1)as Captain or higher rank, or

(2)if the experience was prior to April 21, 2006, as Highway Patrol First Lieutenant or higher rank.

G. The Commissioner of Public Safety is hereby authorized to send employees of the Department of Public Safety to schools such as Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, Southern Police Institute, the FBI National Academy, the Institute of Police Technology and Management, or to any other schools of similar training which would be conducive to improving the efficiency of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division and the Department of Public Safety. While an employee is attending a school, the Commissioner is authorized to permit the employee to use a state-owned vehicle and to use a fuel-purchasing card for any expenses related to the operation of the vehicle. In addition, while an employee is attending the FBI National Academy, a one-time expense allowance of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) for uniforms, fees, travel, room and board, and other related expenses shall be paid to the employee by the Department; provided, the employee shall not be further compensated through the State Travel Reimbursement Act, and, if any other agency reimburses the employee for any expenses, the reimbursement shall be given to the Department. All purchases made by the employee with the expense allowance shall be considered property of the employee.

H. 1. Any former commissioned officer of the Department whose separation from the Department was at such officer’s own request and not a result of such officer’s own actions contrary to the policy of the Department or was not as a result of the retirement of that officer from the Department may make application for reinstatement as a commissioned officer of the division or section of the Department in which such officer was previously employed, provided such reinstated officer will be able to complete twenty (20) years of credited service by the time the reinstated officer reaches sixty-two (62) years of age. The Commissioner may waive the requirements of possessing the number of semester hours or degree as required in subsection B of this section for any former commissioned officer making application for reinstatement as a commissioned officer of the Department. The Commissioner may require the applicant for reinstatement to attend selected courses of instruction, as prescribed by the Commissioner.

2. In the event of future hostilities wherein the Congress of the United States declares this nation in a state of war with a foreign nation, including military service brought about by the Vietnam War, any period of military service served by a commissioned officer of the Department shall be considered as continued service with such Department, provided such commissioned officer returns to duty with the Department within sixty (60) days after release from military service.

Added by Laws 1961, p. 323, § 2-105, eff. Sept. 1, 1961. Amended by Laws 1961, p. 311, § 2; Laws 1965, c. 108, § 1, emerg. eff. May 12, 1965; Laws 1965, c. 429, § 3, emerg. eff. July 8, 1965; Laws 1967, c. 199, §§ 1, 2; Laws 1967, c. 349, § 2, emerg. eff. May 18, 1967; Laws 1969, c. 284, § 2, emerg. eff. April 25, 1969; Laws 1970, c. 244, § 2, eff. July 1, 1970; Laws 1971, c. 354, § 2, operative July 1, 1971; Laws 1973, c. 224, § 6, emerg. eff. May 24, 1973; Laws 1974, c. 291, § 3, operative July 1, 1974; Laws 1975, c. 321, § 3, operative July 1, 1975; Laws 1976, c. 242, § 3, operative July 1, 1976; Laws 1977, c. 249, § 3, operative July 1, 1977; Laws 1978, c. 271, § 3, operative July 1, 1978; Laws 1980, c. 357, § 1, eff. July 1, 1980; Laws 1981, c. 340, § 14, eff. July 1, 1981; Laws 1982, c. 352, § 11, operative July 1, 1982; Laws 1983, c. 302, § 3, emerg. eff. June 23, 1983; Laws 1984, c. 264, § 10, operative July 1, 1984; Laws 1986, c. 19, § 3, emerg. eff. March 17, 1986; Laws 1986, c. 279, § 10, operative July 1, 1986; Laws 1989, c. 295, § 12, operative July 1, 1989; Laws 1990, c. 315, § 1, eff. July 1, 1990; Laws 1992, c. 2, § 1, emerg. eff. March 18, 1992; Laws 1994, c. 218, § 3, eff. July 1, 1994; Laws 1998, c. 245, § 3, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws 2000, c. 195, § 1, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2000, c. 378, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; Laws 2001, c. 435, § 1, eff. July 1, 2001; Laws 2003, c. 461, § 3, eff. July 1, 2003; Laws 2004, c. 5, § 29, emerg. eff. March 1, 2004; Laws 2004, c. 418, § 3, eff. July 1, 2004; Laws 2006, c. 81, § 1, emerg. eff. April 21, 2006; Laws 2007, c. 62, § 6, emerg. eff. April 30, 2007; Laws 2009, c. 310, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009; Laws 2010, c. 60, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2010; Laws 2011, c. 104, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2011; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 161; Laws 2014, c. 228, § 1, eff. July 1, 2014; Laws 2017, c. 282, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2017.

NOTE: Laws 2003, c. 279, § 1 repealed by Laws 2004, c. 5, § 30, emerg. eff. March 1, 2004.