History

Kansas City, Kansas was formally incorporated on October 22, 1872 and was comprised of five municipalities within Wyandotte County: "old" Kansas City, Armstrong, Armourdale, Riverview and Wyandotte. In the 1890s, the city saw an explosive growth in population as a streetcar suburb of the larger Kansas City - Kansas City, Missouri. That growth led to the establishment of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department in 1898. With a staff of 46, it began serving all five municipalities. In 1997 voters unanimously approved to consolidate the governments of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan. to form the Unified Government (UG) of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.

Today the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department provides emergency services to approximately 125 square miles with over 340 sworn officers serving a population of approximately 155,000 citizens and 10 million visitors per year. As an accredited member of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), the KCKPD meets established professional standards in law enforcement. Learn about the KCKPD's Accreditation with CALEA by clicking here.

The department operates as part of the UG and directly reports to the County Administrator. All patrol officers, detectives and sergeants are represented by a police union, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #4, for the purpose of collective bargaining.