St. Paul Police Department
Encyclopedia
The Saint Paul Police Department (SPPD) is the main law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota
. It was first established in 1854, making it the oldest police organization in the state. The SPPD is the second largest law enforcement agency in Minnesota
, after the Minneapolis Police Department
. The department consists of over 600 sworn officers and 200 non-sworn officials. The current Chief of Police is Thomas E. Smith, who was sworn in on June 15, 2010. He succeeded John M. Harrington
, who had been the department's chief since 2004.
NOTE: While the department is authorized to a force of 630 sworn full-time officers, 300 civilian personnel, and over 100 reserve police officers, budget reductions due to cuts in local government aid to cities (LGA) have resulted in lower effective staffing for the police department. As it stands now, several positions remain unfilled due to attrition and retirements. It is not known when the department will be up to its fully authorized strength.
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. It was first established in 1854, making it the oldest police organization in the state. The SPPD is the second largest law enforcement agency in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, after the Minneapolis Police Department
Minneapolis Police Department
The Minneapolis Police Department is the police department for the city of Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Formed in 1867, it is the second oldest police department in the state of Minnesota, after the Saint Paul Police Department . A short-lived Board of Police Commissioners existed...
. The department consists of over 600 sworn officers and 200 non-sworn officials. The current Chief of Police is Thomas E. Smith, who was sworn in on June 15, 2010. He succeeded John M. Harrington
John Harrington (politician)
John Mark Harrington is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate who represents District 67, which includes portions of the city of Saint Paul in Ramsey County, which is in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Democrat, he is a teacher and manager at Metropolitan State...
, who had been the department's chief since 2004.
Command Structure
| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police Chief of police A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable... |
 |
| Assistant Chief |  |
| Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
 |
| Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... |
 |
| Police Officer Police officer A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force... /Detective Detective A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"... |
|
Department Awards
The department has only issued medals / awards since 1971. The current medals are:- Medal of Valor Class A
- Medal of Merit Class B
- Officer of the Year
- Detective of the Year
- Civilian Employee of the year
Department Size
Like most major cities, the city of St. Paul saw a population decline beginning in the late 1960s. However, the police department has continued to grow. The current police chief also has a hiring push underway to increase the size of the force to help continue to fight crime.| Year | City Population | Sworn Officers | Non-Sworn Law Enforcement Personnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1849 | 910 | 4 | |
| 1858 | 7,000 | 11 | |
| 1863 | 10,401 | 10 | |
| 1871 | 20,030 | 19 | |
| 1888 | 133,156 | 160 | |
| 1900 | 163,065 | 195 | |
| 1920 | 234,698 | 357 | |
| 1930 | 271,606 | 358 | |
| 1940 | 287,736 | 345 | |
| 1950 | 311,329 | 368 | 26 |
| 1960 | 313,411 | 389 | 43 |
| 1970 | 309,980 | 463 | 69 |
| 1983 | 270,230 | 495 | |
| 1990 | 272,235 | 524 | 131 |
| 2000 | 287,151 | 547 | 211 |
| 2009 | (269,188; 2009 Census Estimate) | 630 (Authorized size, current size around 560. See note below.) | 300 (Projected) |
NOTE: While the department is authorized to a force of 630 sworn full-time officers, 300 civilian personnel, and over 100 reserve police officers, budget reductions due to cuts in local government aid to cities (LGA) have resulted in lower effective staffing for the police department. As it stands now, several positions remain unfilled due to attrition and retirements. It is not known when the department will be up to its fully authorized strength.