Skip to main content

About the Rochester Police Department

The Mission of the Rochester Police Department is: Crime reduction, customer service, and professionalism.

The RPD is recognized in NYS as a leading law enforcement agency. Our diverse and exceptional staff is comprised of 850 sworn and non-sworn civilian employees who proudly serve the greater of 210,500 City of Rochester residents and thousands of others who work and attend special events in our rejuvenated Center City. 

Rochester's professional police officers patrol a total geographical area of 37.1 square miles located within the County of Monroe, bordering Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes Region of Western New York State. *The RPD has a proud History and was officially founded on December 28, 1819. 

The RPD proudly marked its 200th Anniversary in 2019 with the generous support of the Rochester Police FoundationDuring the year-long Bicentennial celebration, many officers wore commemorative uniform badges minted from an original badge worn by Chief Joseph Cleary in 1866.

Serving with P.R.I.D.E.

Professionalism

We believe that the value of human life is immeasurable. We will actively display professionalism in our actions, conduct and job performance by constantly striving towards the ever-rising standards.

Respect

We are committed to the ideals of respect for all citizens, for each other, and for differing points of view, regardless of age, race, gender, appearance, individual beliefs, or lifestyles. We will uphold and defend the rights afforded to individuals by the United States Constitution. We will abide by and enforce the laws of the Nation, State, and City in a fair and equitable manner.

Integrity

We value communication and partnership with our community. We understand that personal integrity, being truthful, honest and being guided by a fundamental fairness in everything we do will provide the foundation for our partnership with the community.

Dedication

We acknowledge and accept our leadership role in the community and understand we must continue to earn the public’s trust. Through an unquestionable work ethic, we are committed to display our unwavering dedication to the organization, each other, our families, and to the citizens we serve.

Excellence

We will strive to become a “World Class” police department by focusing our resources on accomplishing our Mission. We will realize this through teamwork, partnerships with the community, and accountability.


Get involved

There are many ways you can be involved and help the RPD make Rochester a better City and community for everyone. You can make a difference!

If you know of any students who have acted in an exemplary manner that distinguishes them as role models among their peers, please consider nominating them for the Do the Right Thing Awards Program.

Follow us!

  RPD Facebook

  RPD Twitter/X

Accreditation

The RPD has been Accredited with New York State since 1990, and was proudly re-accredited by the New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (NYSLEAP) in January 2020 in accordance with 133 stringent NYSLEAP Standards in accordance with the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) in Albany, NY.

Rochester Police Department

Interactive Beat Map

Image
A photo of a Rochester police vehicle on the Broad St. Bridge.

Bureaus and Functions

The RPD is organized into three bureaus: Operations, Special Operations, and Administration (see organizational chart below). 

The Operations Bureau consists of the Staff Duty Office, Specialized Teams,  the Special Events Unit, and the Patrol Division, which is divided into four geographical patrol sections.