United States Park Police

United States Park Police
Patch of the USPP
Patch of the USPP
Seal of the United States Park Police
Seal of the United States Park Police
Badge of a USPP officer
Badge of a USPP officer
Flag of the U.S. National Park Service
Flag of the U.S. National Park Service
Common nameU.S. Park Police
AbbreviationUSPP
MottoIntegrity, Honor, Service
Agency overview
FormedDecember 14, 1919; 104 years ago (1919-12-14)
Preceding agency
  • Park Watchmen (1791)
Jurisdictional structure
Federal agency
(Operations jurisdiction)
United States
Operations jurisdictionUnited States
Legal jurisdictionNational Park Service areas, primarily located in the Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City areas and certain other government lands.
General nature
Specialist jurisdiction
  • Environment, parks, and/or heritage property.
Operational structure
HeadquartersWashington, D.C.
Sworn members605[1]
Agency executive
  • Jessica Taylor, Chief[2]
Parent agencyNational Park Service
Website
http://www.nps.gov/uspp/

The United States Park Police (USPP) is the oldest uniformed federal law enforcement agency in the United States. It functions as a full-service law enforcement agency with responsibilities and jurisdiction in those National Park Service areas primarily located in the Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City areas and certain other government lands. United States Park Police officers have jurisdictional authority in the surrounding metropolitan areas of the three cities it primarily operates in, meaning they possess both state and federal authority.[3] In addition to performing the normal crime prevention, investigation, and apprehension functions of an urban police force, the Park Police are responsible for policing many of the famous monuments in the United States.

The USPP shares law enforcement jurisdiction in all lands administered by the National Park Service with a force of National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers tasked with the same law enforcement powers and responsibilities. The agency also provides protection for the President, Secretary of the Interior, and visiting dignitaries. The Park Police is an operation of the National Park Service, which is an agency of the Department of the Interior. As of April 8, 2022, the force consisted of 494 officers.[1]

  1. ^ a b "Park Police Chief Retires". doi.gov. April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  2. ^ "Press Releases - United States Park Police (U.S. National Park Service)".
  3. ^ "Department of the Interior (DOI) Law Enforcement Programs". Congressional Research Service. December 22, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2023.