![]() In September of that year, attorney William B. The ideas and knowledge gained from this study led to the creation of the Metropolitan Police Department on August 6, 1861. President Lincoln personally dispatched an emissary from the newly created Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners to New York City to become familiar with that system, which itself was based on the world-acclaimed Metropolitan London Police Department. With the beginning of the Civil War, an army was billeted in the city, government employees were increased by ten-fold, and hordes of unsavory elements descended upon the District's few square miles. It was a time of constant danger in the Nation's Capital. In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln took personal interest in founding a regular police department for the District of Columbia. Until the creation of the Metropolitan Police Department in 1861, the city had only an auxiliary watch with one captain and 15 policemen. In 1802, when the original charter of Washington was approved, police authority was centralized and power was granted to the city itself to establish patrols, impose fines, and establish inspection and licensing procedures. For the next 10 years, the Federal City was policed by constables appointed by these two states. ![]() In 1790, Maryland and Virginia ceded portions of their territory for the purpose of establishing the Federal City. ![]() ![]() For a short overview of the history of our department and to learn about how we've grown, view the information below. During that time, the MPD has grown in diversity as well as size. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) have been serving the District of Columbia for over 150 years. ![]()
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