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 376 sworn officers and 109 civilian support personnel. The department is organized into three divisions: the Administrative Services Division, Operations Division and the Investigations Division. All divisions are commanded by Majors who report directly to the Chief of Police.
The Operations Division consists of the Patrol Services Bureau and the Homeland Security Bureau.
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, the Crimes Against both Persons and Property, the Identification Section, which is our forensics section, the Vice and Narcotics Section and the Personnel and Training 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.
Contact Us
Communications/Dispatch
Non-Emergency - (515) 283-4811
Emergency - 911
PIO Contact Information (515) 283-4084 - after hours (515) 283-4824
Fingerprints (515) 283-4804
Narcotics Complaint Line (515) 283-4830
Office of Professional Standards (515) 283-4816
Traffic Complaint Hot Line (515) 271-4655
Police Academy
Regional Training Facility
Police - Academy
433 E Army Post Road
Des Moines, IA 50315
(T) (515) 323-8350
(F) (515) 256-2563
Police Admin
Chief of Police & Administrative Offices
Police - Station
25 E 1st Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
(T) (515) 283-4824
(F) (515) 237-1665
Public Records Request
Public Records Information Desk
Police - Station
25 E 1st Street
1st Floor South End
Des Moines, IA 50309
(T) (515) 283-4899
(F) (515) 237-1874
Chief of Police
Chief of Police,
Douglas Harvey
Thank you for visiting the Des Moines Police Department website. This site has been created to allow the residents and business owners to easily access information on the organization of the DMPD, as well as crime statistics, police programs, and other information that may be useful. I hope you find the website valuable.
The Des Moines Police Department was created in 1869. When it was formed, the capitol city of Iowa was comprised of approximately 12,000 residents. Today, the Des Moines Police Department serves a population of 207,510 (2013). It is the largest police department in the state with an authorized strength of 376 sworn officers and 109 civilian support staff.
The Des Moines Police Department has a strong community policing program, recognizing that our citizens are full partners in addressing issues that affect their quality of life. We work closely with our citizens to set priorities for police and local government response and then collaborate on problem resolution.
The department is made up of three separate divisions, each of which is commanded by a Major. Our department has received several national and state awards for its work in civil rights, domestic violence, child abuse investigation and executive leadership. My executive staff and I do our best to create an environment that fosters excellent performance by our employees. I am proud of the work the men and women of this department do for the citizens of this community, and I am honored to serve as their chief of police.
The Chief of Police can be contacted by email at policechief@dmgov.org .
Planning & Budget
The Planning and Budget Office is responsible for coordinating the Des Moines Police Department’s budget and grant programs. They also support management with research data on various projects.
For answers to questions concerning the Planning and Budget Office call (515) 283-4884 Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Legal Advisor
The Des Moines Police Department's Legal Advisor provides general legal advice on police related issues, trains members of the police department on new and existing legal matters, writes legislation as requested by the city council, and prosecutes various administrative violations including the misuse of police alarms and liquor license violations.
For answers to questions concerning the Police Department's Legal Advisor, call directly to (515) 283-4121 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Public Information Officer’s Role and Responsibilities
The Public Information Officer (PIO) is responsible for coordinating and releasing information pertaining to major crime incidents and operational activities of the department. The PIO serves as a liaison between the Department and the news media to coordinate press releases and press conferences on current criminal investigations, issues pertaining to public safety, and other matters of the department.
The PIO’s goal is to ensure that open lines of communication are maintained between the Des Moines Police Department and the news media and ultimately the citizens of Des Moines.
The PIO is assigned to the Office of the Chief of Police and, among other duties, serves as the official Department spokesperson responding to inquiries from the media and other sources.
The Public Information Officer can be contacted via email request, or by phone at (515) 283-4084, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
"In my various assignments with the Des Moines Police Dept, I have come to appreciate and value our relationship with the media. As Public Information Officer, I will continue the tradition of working closely with them to ensure timely and accurate information is shared with the public." Sergeant Jason Halifax
After hours requests for contact with the Public Information Officer should be directed to the Des Moines Police Department Records Section at (515) 283-4824.