The Phoenix Police Department is a forward-thinking, innovative law enforcement agency proud to serve and protect those who live, work, and visit the City of Phoenix.
We are accredited through the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, which promotes the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and effectiveness in law enforcement.
The department enjoys an incredible partnership with our community, working together to protect life and property, prevent and reduce crime, and seek justice for crime victims. We strive to be a self-assessing, self-correcting agency with continuous improvement at the core of everything we do.
The City of Phoenix Police Department was first established as a Town Marshal’s Office in 1881 with the election of Enrique Garfias. The agency would function as a Town Marshal until 1913 when AJ Moore was appointed as the first Phoenix Police Chief.
As the Department grew on pace with the City, several additional resources were created to assist officers in the field, including a Reserve Division in 1918, and a Communications Bureau in 1932.
Around 1948, the Department created a formal training facility near South Mountain, where it remains today. This facility created a state-of-the-art training environment for officers entering the profession. Beginning in 1956, the first four female officers were hired by the Department, assigned to the Downtown area in a limited capacity.
From the inception of the Department to contemporary times, the City has grown substantially in both land size and population, currently now at approximately 1.7 million people. Today, the Patrol Division provides police service through seven precincts located around the City, along with many bureaus and units providing support resources and investigative abilities.