About the Des Moines Police Department
As the largest and most urban law enforcement agency in the state, the Des Moines Police Department has a strong commitment to community policing. We encourage our residents to help us address issues occurring in their neighborhoods and to participate in the resolution of their concerns. Our Neighborhood Based Service Delivery Program has been expanded, assigning detectives and Traffic Unit officers to neighborhoods to provide citizens with greater access to department resources.
Our department consists of an authorized strength of 379 sworn officers and 110 civilian support personnel. The department is organized into two divisions: the Operations Division and the Investigations Division. Both divisions are commanded by assistant chiefs who report directly to the Chief of Police.
The Operations Division consists of the:
Patrol Services Bureau, comprised of all three Patrol watches
Homeland Security Bureau, comprised of the Bomb Squad and the Airport Security Sections
Administrative Services Bureau, which encompasses Records and Communications
The Investigations Division is made up of the:
Detective Bureau, which is the investigative arm for the department and encompasses the Intelligence Section, the Family Conflict Section, and Crimes Against both Persons and Property, and the Identification Section, which is our forensics section.
Inspectional Services Bureau, which is comprised of the Office of Professional Standards, the Personnel and Training Section, and the Vice/Narcotics Control Section.
The Des Moines Police Department is dedicated to protecting the citizens of this community by impartially enforcing the laws of the state and the city, as well as providing emergency security during times of natural disasters.
Departmental Mission
The Des Moines Police Department will work in partnership with our community to protect lives and property, and to enforce laws impartially.