Los Angeles Police Department

City of Los Angeles Police Department
Common name	Los Angeles Police Department
Abbreviation	LAPD
Seal of the Los Angeles Police Department
Badge of a Los Angeles Police Department officer
Flag of the Los Angeles Police Department
Motto	"To Protect and to Serve"
Agency overview
Formed	1869
Employees	12,616 (2013)
Annual budget	$1.4 billion
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	State of California, United States
Map of City of Los Angeles Police Department's jurisdiction.
Size	503 sq mi (1,300 km2)
Population	4,030,904
Legal jurisdiction	Los Angeles, California, US
Governing body	Los Angeles City Council
General nature	Law enforcement Local civilian police
Operational structure
Overviewed by	Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners
Headquarters	100 West 1st Street Los Angeles, California, US
Police officers	10,000 (2015)
Unsworn members	2,773
Commissioners responsible	John Mack, Vice-President Andrea Ordin, Member Robert M. Saltzman, Member Alan J. Skobin, Member
Agency executives	Charlie Beck, Chief of Police Michel Moore, First Assistant Chief - Operations Beatrice Girmala, Assistant Chief - Special Operations Jorge Villegas, Assistant Chief - Administrative Services Debra McCarthy, Deputy Chief - Professional Standards
Divisions	19 Emergency Services Major Crimes Special Operations Support Metropolitan Air Support Emergency Operations Robbery-Homicide Commercial Crimes Jail Juvenile Detective Support Vice Narcotics Scientific Investigations LAX Field Services Central Traffic South Traffic Valley Traffic West Traffic
Bureaus	6 Central South Valley West Detective Special Operations
Facilities
Areas	21 Central Rampart Southwest Hollenbeck Harbor Hollywood Wilshire West Los Angeles Van Nuys West Valley Northeast 77th Street Newton Pacific North Hollywood Foothill Devonshire Southeast Mission Olympic Topanga
Police boats	2
Helicopters	26
Planes	3
Horses	40
Dogs	2 Bloodhounds 20 German Shepherds
Website
www.lapdonline.org
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

Coordinates: 34°03′07″N 118°14′40″W / 34.051941°N 118.244514°W / 34.051941; -118.244514

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the law enforcement agency for the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 9,843 officers and 2,773 civilian staff, it is the third-largest municipal police department in the United States, after the New York City Police Department and the Chicago Police Department. The department serves an area of 498 square miles (1,290 km²) and a population of 4,030,904 people.

The LAPD has been fictionalized in numerous movies, novels, and television shows throughout its history. The department has also been associated with a number of controversies, mainly concerned with racism, police brutality, and police corruption.

The first specific Los Angeles police force was founded in 1853, as the Los Angeles Rangers, a volunteer force that assisted the existing County forces. The Rangers were soon succeeded by the Los Angeles City Guards, another volunteer group. Neither force was particularly efficient and Los Angeles became known for its violence, gambling and vice.

The first paid force was created in 1869, when six officers were hired to serve under City Marshal William C. Warren. By 1900, under John M. Glass, there were 70 officers, one for every 1,500 people. In 1903, with the start of the Civil Service, this force was increased to 200.