[citation needed] Support units include:[4] Tulsa Police department employs personnel from a diverse range of racial, educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Proportionally, there is significantly greater representation of Caucasian, Native-American and male employees in the department compared with the general population of Tulsa.

[6] Sworn-officers are required to have at least a four-year bachelor's degree to apply, generally with a background in forensic science or criminal justice.

[citation needed] In May–June 1921, the department was key in the Tulsa race massacre when it deputized a mob and directed white citizens to "Get a gun, and get busy and try to get a nigger."

[20] In late 2011 four Tulsa police officers were convicted of stealing money from crime scenes and planting drugs at others.

[22] In 2013, Officer Marvin Blades Jr was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the armed robbery of Hispanics during traffic stops.

https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=tulsa&number=CF-2022-2146&cmid=3525133 In June 2020, during worldwide protests against the killing in Minneapolis of an unarmed black man, Major Travis Yates pointed out on a radio talk show that it was unreasonable to expect "... our shootings should be right along the U.S. Census lines."

"[25] In March 2021, the Tulsa Police internal affairs department determined that claims of misconduct against Major Yates were unsubstantiated.