St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

Providing professional police services to the City of St. Louis under the direction of Chief Sam Dotson. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Force was founded in 1808. In 1861, the Police Department went under the control of the State of Missouri via a Board of Police Commissioners, appointed by the Governor, with the Mayor being an ex officio member. In 2012, the citizens of Missouri voted to return control of the police department to the City of St. Louis, once certain legal provisions were met. The Police Department is currently in transition, as the Board of Aldermen strive to achieve those legal provisions.