Company Profile
Norman Police Department
Company Overview
Norman is the third largest city in Oklahoma with a population of over 110,000 people within its 196.5 square miles of city limits, which includes a mixture of dense urban and sparse rural areas. Norman is located 20 miles south of Oklahoma City on Interstate 35 and is home to the University of Oklahoma.
The high quality of life in Norman is reflected in a low crime rate. This is evidenced each year by Norman’s standing in a Benchmark Cities Survey, in which the department participates with a group of similar cities from around the U.S. We take great pride in the favorable comparison of our city with some truly outstanding cities.
With each passing day the men and women of our department proudly serve and protect those who grace our city as; residents, business owners, faculty and students of the University of Oklahoma, and visitors. We truly believe both our department and citizens continually educate each other on the importance of cultivating and maintaining a positive partnership. The Community Oriented Policing philosophy fits well in the social and political environment of Norman. We believe “Positive Partnerships Provide Peace”. We truly believe we have developed and will continue to develop programs that keep officers and citizens working together. Through these problem-solving efforts we hope to further our crime prevention and crime solution efforts.
Company History
The Norman Police Department was formed in 1919 when the City of Norman was chartered. Prior to this the law enforcement duties for the community had fallen upon Deputy U.S. Marshals, then a city marshal. The new police department shared office space with the fire department in a small building in the 100 Block of North Peters Avenue.
In 1924, the department consisted of four officers. By 1936, the staff had increased to eight officers. These officers worked twelve hour shifts, seven days a week, for $110.00 per month. In 1938, four more officers were hired, with the shifts going to eight hour shifts, six days a week. By the mid 1930s, the department had one car which was operated twenty-four hours a day. There were also three officers who walked a foot beat in the downtown area on a twenty-four hour a day basis.
In the summer of 1942, the United States Navy established a Naval Flight Training Center (which soon became Naval Air Station Norman) and a Naval Air Technical Training Center at two locations in Norman. During the war years and until the bases deactivation, the Norman Police worked closely with the Naval Shore Patrol.
Since the war years, the Norman Police Department has continued to grow and improve operations. The Police Department has moved twice, ending up at our current location in 1982.
In 1995 the Norman Police Department began the process of adopting Community Oriented Policing as the approach to solving problems in our community. The City was divided into thirteen police beats with officers being assigned to the beats on a more permanent basis. The Community Oriented Policing philosophy centers around building partnerships between the police department and the citizens and merchants in the community. Working together solutions to problems are discovered and resolutions are attained through cooperation.
The Norman Police Department is fortunate in that only two officers in our history have been killed in the line of duty. In 1963 Detective Lieutenant Jerry Bratcher was killed in a traffic accident while pursuing a burglary suspect. In 1972 Officer Melvin Miner was killed in a shoot-out with a man who had just murdered his own parents.
In December of 1998, Sergeant Dale DeBerry died of a massive heart attack while performing the department’s physical fitness test.
Benefits
• Competitive Base Pay
• Excellent Health & Dental Insurance
• Paid Holiday, Vacation Leave, and Sick Leave
• College Tuition Assistance
• College Incentive Pay
• Longevity Pay
• Uniform and Equipment Allowance
• 20 Year Retirement