About
the Baltimore Police Department
The preservation
of the peace, protection of property and the arrest of offenders has been the goal of Baltimore residents since August 8,
1729, when the Legislature created Baltimore Towne.
The first
attempt to organize a force to guard Baltimore occurred in 1784. Constables were appointed and given police powers to keep
the peace. The State Legislature on March 16, 1853, passed a bill, "to provide
for the better security for the people and property in the City of Baltimore." This statute provides that police officers
should be armed and that a badge and commission be furnished each member.
Today,
the Baltimore Police Department’s jurisdiction encompasses an area of 86.0 square miles: 78.3 sq. miles of land and
7.7 sq. miles on waterways. The present Headquarters Building of the Police Department was opened in 1972.
baltimorepolice.org/
