Tacoma Police Department
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Tacoma Police Department | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | TPD |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1885 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Tacoma, Washington, US |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Tacoma |
| Police officers | 334 |
| Civilians | 38 |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | |
| www | |
The Tacoma Police Department (TPD) is the primary law enforcement agency for the city of Tacoma, Washington, United States.[1] The TPD employs 334 sworn officers and 38 civilian employees.[2] The Chief of Police is Patti Jackson.[3]
Tacoma Police is divided into four Report Sectors or Precincts numbered Sectors 1 through 4. The department has several Operations Bureaus such as Community Policing, K-9, Marine Services and Dive Unit, and Traffic Unit.[4]
On May 6, 1869, the first Law Enforcement precinct was established in Tacoma by H.N. Steele when he was appointed Inspector. However, at that time the County Sheriff was the primary police force for Tacoma.
In the year 1874, Tacoma was incorporated and appointed its first town Marshal Howard Carr.[5][6]
Recognizing the need for a specialized response team, the Tacoma Police Department formed its first tactical unit in 1984, initially named the "Special Operations Team." This team included a commander, assistant commander, eight entry operators, four marksmen, and four negotiators. A few years later, the unit was renamed the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.[7]
