The Irvine Police Department (IPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency serving the City of Irvine, California, a master-planned community of approximately 318,600 residents. Established in 1975, the department has grown into a modern, mid-sized agency with about 467 employees, including roughly 217 sworn officers and 94 civilian staff members. The department is led by Chief of Police Michael Kent and operates out of its headquarters at 1 Civic Center Plaza.

Organizationally, the IPD is structured into several divisions: Administration, which houses the Chief’s office and public information; Business Services, responsible for budget, technology support, 9-1-1 dispatch, and jail operations; Operations, which provides patrol services, special investigations, and crime scene response; Operations Support, which oversees emergency management, traffic enforcement, and community-oriented programs like D.A.R.E. and school resource officers; and Professional Standards and Development, managing internal affairs, training, and recruitment. The department is known for its strong focus on community policing and has earned a reputation for maintaining some of the lowest violent crime rates among comparably sized U.S. cities.

IPD maintains a fleet of marked black-and-white patrol vehicles and in 2024 became the first agency in the nation to introduce a Tesla Cybertruck for school outreach and youth programs. The department also supervises the Irvine Disaster Emergency Communications (IDEC), the first police-managed amateur radio group in California, supporting disaster preparedness and response. Through extensive collaboration with local universities, businesses, and neighborhood groups, the Irvine Police Department emphasizes transparency, professionalism, and proactive engagement to ensure public safety and maintain the city’s high quality of life.