Police

If you have an EMERGENCY call:9 - 1 - 1

If you would like to report a crime or activity that is not an emergency, call (530) 897 - 4911 or use our Online Crime Report Form

A little about the City of Chico . . .

The City of Chico is known as a well managed Charter city that values quality infrastructure and services. Chico maintains a special sense of community and small town living as it has developed into a vibrant regional center for business, education, employment, medical care, recreation, and cultural activities.

The city was founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell, and incorporated in 1872. With recent annexations, it has grown to just over 33 square miles in size. The population within the city limits is 87,713, but the unincorporated area immediately adjacent to the city makes the total Chico Urban Area population 106,966 (as of 1/1/09).

About the Department . . .

The creation of the Chico Police Department and its functions are addressed in Chapter 2.28 of the Chico Municipal Code. With a primary function of preventing crime and maintaining law and order in the city by enforcing laws, the Chico Police Department' adheres to the standards for the recruitment and training of police officers and dispatchers as established by the California Commission of Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.)

As a full service law enforcement agency, the Chico Police Department is currently authorized for 149 employees, 97 of which are sworn police officers.

The Chico Police Department is organized into two divisions, Operations and Support, under the Office of the Chief of Police. There are also a number of specialized units, teams, and assignments staffed by sworn and non-sworn personnel, which support the services provided by the department.