Hartford was settled in 1623 as a Dutch trading post.  In 1636, a group of English settlers led by the Reverend Thomas Hooker left Massachusetts and formed a colony here.  The settlers made peace with the local Algonquin Indians and named the settlement after Hertford in England.  The City of Hartford is now the capitol city of the State of Connecticut, centrally located within the State.  Hartford consists of 17.8 square miles and an approximate population of 125,000.  Two major highways (I-84 and I-91) intersect through the City.  The City sits on the banks of the Connecticut River.  For more information about the City of Hartford please visit the city web site.

The City has a rich history and tradition in policing.  To read more about the history of the Hartford Police Department click here.  Currently the Hartford Police Department has an authorized sworn strength of 420 officers, and 169 civilian members.  The rank structure for sworn members of the Department are Chief, Assistant Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant, and Police Officer.  Detectives are appointed from the police officer rank to serve in an investigative capacity. 

Bruce Preston Marquis has been the Chief of Police since December 4, 2000 after being selected through a national search.   

The City of Hartford relies heavily on the input of it's citizen's as the Police Department has adopted a community oriented policing strategy, matching the City's community oriented government philosophy.

The department is organized under four assistant chiefs of police, serving as Chief of Field Operations, Chief of Operations Support, Chief of Special Services, and Chief of Staff. Through that structure, uniformed services, investigative services, support services and organizational improvement services are delivered in a model that advances decentralization and accountability.

The Hartford Police Department serves to enhance the quality of life in the City of Hartford by developing partnerships with the community, and the other stakeholders in a manner that promotes problem solving and preserves a safe environment through professional law enforcement that respects human dignity.