Chicago Police Department Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Chicago Police Department
Flag of the City of Chicago and of the Chicago Police Department
Abbreviation	CPD
Motto	We Serve and Protect
Agency overview
Formed	1855
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Operational structure
Officers	13,700
Unsworn members	2,700
Agency executive	J.P. Weis, Superintendent of Police
Bureaus	5 Bureau of Administrative Services Bureau of Investigative Services Bureau of Patrol Bureau of Professional Standards Bureau of Strategic Deployment
Facilities
Districts	25
Website
Official site: http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalEntityHomeAction.do?entityName=Police&entityNameEnumValue=33

The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the main police force for the City of Chicago, Illinois. It helps keep the city safe and enforces laws.

The CPD is one of the biggest police departments in the United States. It has over 13,600 police officers and more than 2,600 other staff members. The department started way back in 1837, making it one of the oldest police forces in the world.

How the Chicago Police Department Works
- Police Badges and Uniforms
Police Equipment
Images for kids
See also

How the Chicago Police Department Works

The Chicago Police Department is led by someone called the Superintendent of Police. This person is in charge of the entire department.

The Superintendent gets help from the First Deputy Superintendent. Together, they manage four main parts, called bureaus. Each bureau has its own chief.

The city of Chicago is divided into 25 police districts. Each district has a commander who leads the police officers there. These commanders report to three area deputy chiefs. The deputy chiefs then report to the Bureau of Patrol Chief.

Police Badges and Uniforms

Chicago police officers wear a special five-pointed star-shaped badge. They call it a "star" instead of a "badge." The color and shape of the star show an officer's rank.

Most officers, from patrolmen to captains, have silver-colored stars. Officers with higher ranks, like commanders, have gold-colored stars. A ring around the city seal in the middle of the star also changes color for different ranks.

The police uniform also has special patches on the shoulders. The patch on the left sleeve is shaped like an octagon. It shows the city seal and says "Chicago Police." The colors of the patch change based on the officer's rank.

For example, patrol officers and detectives have dark blue writing and edges on their patches. Sergeants, lieutenants, and captains have gold edges but dark blue writing. The highest-ranking officers have gold edges and gold writing.

Officers also have bars or stars on their left cuff to show how long they have worked for the department. A gold bar means five years of service. A gold star means twenty years.

On the right shoulder, officers wear a patch of the flag of Chicago. It has gold borders. Above the right pocket, officers wear a nameplate. It shows their name and the district they work in.

Police Equipment

Chicago police officers need to buy most of their own equipment. This includes things they use every day on duty. However, the department provides some items, like Tasers and radios.

All officers who work in the field must be trained to use a Taser. Some officers also choose to carry a backup weapon. These extra weapons must meet certain rules and officers must be trained to use them every year.