Bloomington Police Department (Indiana)
Bloomington Police Department serves the city of Bloomington in Indiana, the seventh-largest city in the state. The city has over 85,000 people, with as many as 175,000 in the metro area. Bloomington is also the county seat of Monroe County, located in the central region of Indiana.
The police department serves the 85,000 residents of the city and an area of about 20 square miles.
Bloomington Police Department Locations & Facilities
220 E 3rd St,
Bloomington, IN 47401
812-339-4477
The headquarters of the Bloomington Police Department can be found in the center of the city, right next to the Waldron Hill Buskirk Park and the Allison Jukebox Community Center.
The building is unrecognizable, but you can still clearly see that it’s the Bloomington Police Department, thanks to the large lettering on the front of the building.
Parking
Finding a parking spot next to the BPD is a bit hard as the building is located in a busy area and only has a small parking lot behind it which is reserved for the employees of the police department.
There are a few spots in the parking lot located to the right of the police department. You’ll see a sign stating that it’s the 3rd Street Lot of the City of Bloomington.
Thankfully, there’s a much larger parking lot across the street, and you’re bound to find space there even during the busy times of the day.
History
The story of Bloomington began in 1847 when it became an incorporated town. The beginnings of the police department started at the same time when David B. Judah was chosen to be the first Town Marshal of Bloomington.
In 1876, Bloomington became a city, and the first real police department was formed in 1899 when the City Council approved its formation. The city fire engine house became the first headquarters of the newly formed BPD.
Bloomington’s First Police Officers in Uniforms Around 1910
In 1915, the headquarters moved to the newly erected City Hall building in South Walnut Street. The police department continued to grow in the years and decades to come, constantly getting new employees and equipment.
The first tragedy struck in 1928 when Officer Ralph Pogue became the first Bloomington police officer to be killed in the line of duty. Thankfully, the whole history of BPD has seen only five officers killed while on duty, with the last one being Donald Owens in 1975.
In 1986, the PD moved once again, this time to the lower level of the city’s Justice Building. They finally stopped moving in 1998, when the police department was transferred to its current spot at 220 East Third Street.
Today, the Bloomington Police Department has an Operations and Administrative Division. The former has a Patrol Division and a Detective Division. The PD also has a Bike Patrol, a Critical Response Team, a Dive Team, a K-9 Unit, and the Honor Guard.
Police Chief of Bloomington Police Department
The police chief of Bloomington Police Department is Michael Diekhoff. You can reach him at diekhofm@bloomington.in.gov or by calling 812-339-4477.
The deputy chief is Joseph Qualters, and his contact information is qualterj@bloomington.in.gov and 812-339-4477.
The Bloomington Police Department has a total of 153 employees, or more specifically, 105 police officers and 50 civilian employees.
Bloomington Police Department Online Services
The Bloomington Police Department has a detailed website that features several services you could find useful. Here are some of them.
Obtaining and Filing Reports
You can file traffic, incident, and several other reports on the site, and you can find information on how to do each on this link.
Request Extra Patrol
The Bloomington Police Department website allows you to request extra patrol if you feel your neighborhood needs it.
Get a Parade Permit
If you want to block traffic on either the sidewalk or the street, you need to get a parade permit from the police department.
You can also file a complaint or send a compliment to the police force if you want to.
Jobs
The Bloomington Police is always looking for new members for its family. You can always apply for a job if you want to, but make sure to read up on the requirements, testing procedures, and everything else you need to know if you want to be considered seriously.