Columbia Police Department

The Columbia Police Department, established in 1805, is a law enforcement agency that maintains K-9, mounted patrol, traffic safety, gang and narcotics units. It supports Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.), which is an international education program that seeks to prevent the use of illegal drugs, membership in gangs and violent behavior. The Columbia Police Department employs a staff of more than 300 sworn officers and over 70 civilians and volunteers. The department operates a jail and detention center that houses pretrial, inmates awaiting sentencing, and county- and state-sentenced prisoners. The Columbia Police Department is internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and is located in Columbia, S.C.