The Tempe Police Department is the primary municipal law enforcement agency for the City of Tempe, Arizona. It traces its origins to January 14, 1895, when George Compton was elected the town’s first marshal, following Tempe’s incorporation in November 1894. Headquartered at 120 E. Fifth Street, the department is currently led by Chief of Police Kenneth McCoy.
The department is accredited by the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ALEAP) and serves a community of roughly 191,000 residents, though its daily service population swells to between 268,000 and 320,000 given Tempe’s density, its large event calendar, and the presence of Arizona State University.
Organizationally, the department operates three branches under the Office of the Chief. The Field Operations Division (Patrol) is the largest and most visible branch, providing 24/7 coverage, emergency response, crime prevention, and community engagement across the city’s patrol zones. The Investigations Division comprises the Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Police Analytics Bureau, the latter housing crime analysis, forensic services, and a Real-Time Operations Center. The Support Services Division handles 911 dispatch, records management, budgeting, property and evidence, and the detention facility.
Over its history the department has built out specialized units, including a SWAT team formed in 1975 and a K-9 unit operational by 1979, along with a Bike Squad, Gang Unit, and community programs such as the Citizen’s Academy and Volunteers in Policing.
Tempe PD joined On Patrol: Live during Season 4 in episode 05.29.26.
