By Amelia Anderson The Los Angeles Police Department, commonly known as LAPD, is the municipal law-enforcement agency responsible for policing the City of Los Angeles, California. Its responsibilities include responding to emergencies, investigating crimes, conducting neighbourhood patrols, enforcing traffic laws, managing public-safety operations and working with local communities to prevent crime.
Residents should select the correct contact number according to the urgency of the situation. Dial 911 when a crime is happening, someone is in immediate danger, a weapon is involved or urgent police, fire or medical assistance is required. For incidents that do not present an immediate danger, call 1-877-ASK-LAPD.
The department divides Los Angeles into four geographic bureaus. These bureaus oversee 21 community police stations, also called Areas or geographic divisions. The correct police station is normally determined by the exact address where an incident occurred.
Los Angeles Police Department Quick Information
| Information | Details |
| Official name | Los Angeles Police Department |
| Common abbreviation | LAPD |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters |
| Headquarters address | 100 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 |
| Emergency number | 911 |
| Non-emergency police response | 1-877-ASK-LAPD |
| Non-emergency numeric number | 1-877-275-5273 |
| Anonymous LAPD tip line | 1-877-LAPD-24-7 |
| Crime Stoppers | 1-800-222-TIPS |
| Number of geographic bureaus | Four |
| Number of community police stations | 21 |
| Primary county | Los Angeles County |
| Area served | Locations within the City of Los Angeles |
| Police misconduct complaint hotline | 1-800-339-6868 |
| County jail information | 213-473-6100 |
| Traffic report status line | 213-486-8130 |
| Online police reporting | LAPD Community Online Reporting Service |
LAPD identifies 911 as its emergency number and 1-877-ASK-LAPD as the main number for non-emergency police response.
Los Angeles Police Department Address and Headquarters
The main LAPD headquarters is located at:
- 100 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, California 90012
The headquarters is sometimes referred to as the Police Administration Building. It contains the Office of the Chief of Police, administrative offices and other department-level operations.
The headquarters address is suitable for administrative correspondence and certain official business. However, it is not always the best place to report a neighbourhood crime or ask about a local investigation. Residents generally receive more direct assistance from the community police station responsible for the location where the incident occurred.
Someone facing an emergency should call 911 rather than travelling to the headquarters or a police station.
Important Los Angeles Police Phone Numbers
Call 911 when:
- A crime is taking place
- A person is in immediate danger
- Someone has been seriously injured
- A weapon is present or has been used
- A serious traffic collision has occurred
- A suspect is still at or near the scene
- Urgent police, fire or medical assistance is required
For non-emergency police response, call 1-877-ASK-LAPD, which is the same as 1-877-275-5273. This number may be used when an incident has already happened and there is no immediate danger.
Examples include delayed theft reports, vandalism, suspicious activity that is not currently threatening anyone and other situations requiring police documentation without an emergency response.
Anonymous information about a crime may be provided through the LAPD 24-hour tip line at 1-877-LAPD-24-7, or through Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Information about people held in Los Angeles County jail facilities is available at 213-473-6100. County detention facilities are managed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, not LAPD.
Los Angeles Police Department Bureaus and Divisions
LAPD’s local operations are organized under four geographic bureaus:
- Central Bureau
- South Bureau
- Valley Bureau
- West Bureau
These bureaus supervise 21 community police stations. Each station is responsible for patrol services, initial crime reports, community relations and local investigations within its assigned Area.
LAPD Community Police Stations
| Bureau and police station | Station address | Front-desk number |
| Central Bureau – Central Area | 251 E. 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 | 213-486-6606 |
| Central Bureau – Hollenbeck Area | 2111 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033 | 323-342-4100 |
| Central Bureau – Newton Area | 3400 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90011 | 323-846-6547 |
| Central Bureau – Northeast Area | 3353 San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065 | 323-561-3211 |
| Central Bureau – Rampart Area | 1401 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017 | 213-484-3400 |
| South Bureau – 77th Street Area | 7600 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90003 | 323-786-5077 |
| South Bureau – Harbor Area | 2175 John S. Gibson Boulevard, San Pedro, CA 90731 | 310-726-7700 |
| South Bureau – Southeast Area | 145 W. 108th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90061 | 213-972-7828 |
| South Bureau – Southwest Area | 1546 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90062 | 213-485-2582 |
| West Bureau – Hollywood Area | 1358 N. Wilcox Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028 | 213-972-2971 |
| West Bureau – Olympic Area | 1130 S. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90006 | 213-382-9102 |
| West Bureau – Pacific Area | 12312 Culver Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90066 | 310-482-6334 |
| West Bureau – West Los Angeles Area | 1663 Butler Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025 | 310-444-0701 |
| West Bureau – Wilshire Area | 4861 W. Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90019 | 213-473-0476 |
| Valley Bureau – Devonshire Area | 10250 Etiwanda Avenue, Northridge, CA 91325 | 818-832-0633 |
| Valley Bureau – Foothill Area | 12760 Osborne Street, Pacoima, CA 91331 | 818-756-8861 |
| Valley Bureau – Mission Area | 11121 N. Sepulveda Boulevard, Mission Hills, CA 91345 | 818-838-9800 |
| Valley Bureau – North Hollywood Area | 11640 Burbank Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601 | 818-754-8300 |
| Valley Bureau – Topanga Area | 21501 Schoenborn Street, Canoga Park, CA 91304 | 818-756-4800 |
| Valley Bureau – Van Nuys Area | 6240 Sylmar Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91401 | 818-374-9500 |
| Valley Bureau – West Valley Area | 19020 Vanowen Street, Reseda, CA 91335 | 818-374-7611 |
Police boundaries do not always follow ZIP codes or commonly used neighbourhood names. Residents can enter an exact street address into LAPD’s station locator to identify the correct Area.
Department Bureaus and Specialized Units
The community police stations are only one part of LAPD’s organization. The department also operates detective, traffic, administrative and specialized enforcement units.
Patrol officers usually provide the initial response to calls for service. They may secure the scene, interview witnesses, collect preliminary evidence and prepare the first police report. Cases requiring further investigation can then be assigned to detectives.
Specialized operations include homicide investigations, robbery investigations, gang and narcotics enforcement, commercial crimes, missing persons, domestic violence investigations, air support, canine units, mounted officers, traffic enforcement, bomb detection, Metropolitan Division and SWAT.
LAPD also maintains four geographic traffic divisions: Central Traffic, South Traffic, Valley Traffic and West Traffic. These divisions investigate traffic collisions and handle traffic-related enforcement within their assigned bureaus.
What County Is the Los Angeles Police Department In?
LAPD headquarters is located in Los Angeles County, and the entire City of Los Angeles is within Los Angeles County.
However, LAPD does not police every location in the county. Its primary jurisdiction is the City of Los Angeles. Other incorporated cities, such as Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Long Beach, operate their own police departments.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provides law-enforcement services in unincorporated county areas and in cities that contract with the Sheriff’s Department.
The distinction becomes important when reporting a crime. The agency responsible for the location where the incident occurred will normally take the report. A person living in Los Angeles may therefore need to contact another police department or a sheriff’s station when the incident happened outside Los Angeles city limits.
Filing a Los Angeles Police Report
A report can be made by calling 911 for an emergency, calling 1-877-ASK-LAPD for a non-emergency or contacting the community police station responsible for the incident location.
LAPD also provides a Community Online Reporting Service for selected incidents. Reports that may qualify include:
- Lost property
- Theft
- Theft from a vehicle
- Vandalism
- Harassing calls or electronic messages
- Identity theft
- Certain hit-and-run collisions
- Minor traffic collisions
- Hate incidents
- Narcotics or vice tips
Online reporting is generally available only when the incident occurred within the City of Los Angeles, there are no known suspects, no firearm was involved, nobody was injured and the situation is no longer an emergency.
The person filing online must normally be at least 18 years old and must have an email address. A temporary report number is issued after submission. Once the report is reviewed and approved, LAPD provides an official report number.
Obtaining Crime and Traffic Collision Reports
LAPD crime and traffic reports are handled through the Records and Identification Division. A requester should provide as much identifying information as possible, including:
- LAPD report or DR number
- Incident number, when available
- Date and time of the incident
- Location of the incident
- Names of the people involved
- Vehicle registration details for traffic reports
- Requester’s contact information
- Explanation of the requester’s connection to the report
Traffic collision reports may be requested online in eligible cases or by mail. Reports involving an arrest, fatality or juvenile generally cannot be released through the standard online process.
LAPD advises requesters to allow at least 45 days after a collision before attempting to obtain an online traffic report. Mail requests are sent to:
- Los Angeles Police Department
- Records and Identification Division
- Document Processing Unit
- P.O. Box 30158
- Los Angeles, CA 90030
The recorded traffic-report status line is 213-486-8130. Certain reports may be withheld or redacted to protect victims, juveniles, witnesses, private information and active investigations.
Complaints About LAPD Officer Conduct
A complaint concerning the conduct of an LAPD employee may be submitted through the department’s Internal Affairs process.
The LAPD complaint hotline is 1-800-339-6868. Complaints may also be submitted online, by email, by mail or in person at any LAPD community police station. A person can ask to speak with a supervisor regardless of which station or division was involved in the incident.
The Office of the Inspector General provides independent oversight of LAPD and the disciplinary process. Its telephone number is 213-893-6400.
A complainant should provide available details such as the date, time and location, the officer’s name or serial number, police vehicle information, witness details and any photographs or video. A complaint can still be filed when the officer’s identity is unknown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I walk into any LAPD station to report a crime?
A: Yes, an LAPD station can provide guidance. However, the station responsible for the incident location may be able to handle the report more directly. Call 1-877-ASK-LAPD or use the station locator when you are unsure.
Q: How do I find the LAPD division responsible for my address?
A: Use LAPD’s address-based police station locator. Enter the exact street address because ZIP codes and neighbourhood names may cross police boundaries.
Q: Can a tourist file a police report in Los Angeles?
A: Yes. A visitor can report a crime that occurred within Los Angeles city limits. The visitor should provide reliable contact details and keep the report or DR number for insurance and follow-up purposes.
Q: What happens after I submit an online LAPD report?
A: A temporary number is issued first. LAPD personnel review the submission, usually beginning within approximately 24 hours, although weekends and holidays may cause delays. An official report number is provided after approval.
Q: Can I file an online report when I know who committed the crime?
A: Online reporting is generally not suitable when a suspect is known. Call 1-877-ASK-LAPD or contact the appropriate police station so officers can determine how the report should be handled.
Q: Does LAPD operate the Los Angeles County jail?
A: No. Los Angeles County jail facilities are operated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Jail and inmate enquiries should be directed to 213-473-6100.
Q: Why is my traffic collision report not immediately available?
A: The report must be completed, reviewed and approved before release. LAPD recommends allowing at least 45 days before attempting to purchase an eligible traffic report online.
Q: Can someone else request my police report?
A: Possibly. Access depends on the type of report and the person’s legal relationship to the incident. An attorney, insurer or representative may need written authorization or other supporting documents.
Q: What should I do when my vehicle has been towed?
A: Contact the LAPD station responsible for the location where the vehicle was parked or recovered. The station can identify the official police garage holding it. The registered owner will usually need identification, vehicle documents and payment of applicable towing and storage charges.
Q: Can LAPD take a report for a crime that happened in another city?
A: Normally, the law-enforcement agency responsible for the place where the incident occurred should take the report. For example, an incident in Santa Monica or Beverly Hills should generally be reported to that city’s police department rather than LAPD.
Samantha Paul