MWCPD History

In 1942, W. P. "Bill" Atkinson bought large amounts of land in the area due to the chance of an U.S. Army Air Corps air field being constructed nearby. The air field was originally named Midwest Air Depot.

Midwest City was incorporated in March 1943. During that year, J.B. Beaird was appointed as the first town Marshall and used his personal vehicle as a police cruiser at a reimbursement rate of $15 per month. He was followed by other town marshals.

A council/city manager charter was adopted by the citizens in 1948 and Oscar Yoder became the City’s first appointed Chief of Police. The adjacent air field was later renamed "Tinker Air Force Base" to honor the first American general killed in World War II, who was an Oklahoma native.

Midwest City became the model post-World War II city in the country. In 1950, an additional motorcycle policeman was added to the police force. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle was procured for approximately $799.

By 1953, the size of the police force had grown to nine officers. As the City continued expanding, sixteen additional police officers were added in 1957. Under Police Chief Carl Tyler, who was appointed in 1960, Midwest City police officers began receiving basic law enforcement training from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. There were 4 Dodge scout cars at the time.

Today, the Midwest City Police Department is comprised of 95 uniformed police officers and 23 civilian personnel. Police Officers receive their basic law enforcement certification through the Council of Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) located in Ada, Oklahoma. Following certification, probationary police officers must pass a 12 week Field Training program in which they perform patrol duties under the close supervision of a Field Training Officer. All officers undergo annual continuing education and re-certification training.

The department works under the philosophy of Community Oriented Policing.

In 2016, Midwest City police officers handled 59,983 calls for service from which 9,857 police reports and 3,126 arrests were made.  Each day officers patrol over 24.6 square miles.

Specialty areas within the department are Community Action Officers, Crisis Intervention Team, motorcycle officers, SWAT, K-9, criminal detectives, special investigation detectives, and bicycle patrol. The police department also manages a crime scene unit, crime lab, and jail.