Houston Police Department: Address, Phone Number, Divisions and County

The Houston Police Department, commonly called HPD, is the municipal law-enforcement agency serving people and businesses located within the City of Houston, Texas. Its responsibilities include responding to emergencies, investigating crimes, enforcing traffic laws, patrolling neighbourhoods, assisting crime victims and operating specialized units for serious or complex cases.

Houston is a large city, so HPD operates through several patrol divisions rather than handling every public request from its downtown headquarters. Residents should call 911 during an immediate emergency, use the non-emergency number when police assistance is required without an urgent threat, or contact the patrol station responsible for the location of the incident.

Houston Police Department Quick Information

The headquarters, emergency, non-emergency and departmental numbers above are listed in HPD’s official contact and telephone directories.

Houston Police Department Address and Headquarters

The Houston Police Department headquarters is located in the Edward A. Thomas Building at:

• 1200 Travis Street, Houston, Texas 77002

The building is situated in downtown Houston and contains several administrative and specialized departmental offices. It is also the mailing address used for many official HPD matters.

Although the headquarters building is listed as open 24 hours, residents should not assume that every administrative office inside it operates around the clock. Records, Internal Affairs and other public-service offices have their own business hours. Anyone needing an officer dispatched to a location should call 911 or 713-884-3131 rather than travelling to headquarters first.

Houston Police Department Phone Numbers

Call 911 when a crime is happening, someone is in immediate danger, a weapon is involved, a serious injury has occurred or urgent police, fire or medical assistance is needed.

For situations within Houston city limits that require police service but are not immediate emergencies, call 713-884-3131. The non-emergency dispatcher can determine whether an officer needs to be sent or whether the caller should contact another unit.

The number 713-308-8585 connects callers with the HPD Records Division. Other frequently used numbers include:

• Auto Theft Division: 713-308-3500
• Family Violence Unit: 713-308-1100
• Missing Persons Unit for adults: 832-394-1840
• Mental Health Division: 832-394-4200
• Property and Financial Crimes: 713-308-0900
• Robbery Division: 713-308-0700
• Victim Services: 713-308-0080
• Wrecker and tow information: 713-308-8580

These departmental lines are mainly intended for information, follow-up or contact with a particular unit. New emergencies should always be reported through 911.

Houston Police Patrol Divisions

HPD has 15 geographic patrol divisions grouped into three patrol regions. Officers assigned to these divisions respond to calls, patrol neighbourhoods, investigate local offences and conduct community-policing programs.

Most of these patrol stations are open 24 hours. However, the Central Division facility at 33 Artesian Place is not open to the general public. Residents in that area may use the Downtown station or call the appropriate police-service number.

HPD also operates neighbourhood storefronts in places such as Sunnyside, Gulfton and Ranchester. Storefronts may have limited hours and are generally used for community contact, meetings and non-emergency assistance rather than full police-station services.

Main Bureaus and Specialized Divisions

The patrol divisions are only one part of HPD. The department’s organization also includes investigative, homeland-security, professional-development and support commands.

Specialized investigative divisions handle homicide, robbery, major assaults, family violence, auto theft, financial crimes, gangs, narcotics, vice, special victims and vehicular crimes. Operational units include SWAT, tactical operations, air support, canine officers, mounted patrol, bomb technicians and airport police.

The department also has divisions responsible for recruiting, training, emergency communications, mental-health response, victim services, internal affairs, records and property storage. A case may therefore begin with a patrol officer and later be transferred to a specialized investigator based on the type and seriousness of the offence.

What County Is the Houston Police Department In?

HPD headquarters is located in Harris County, and most of Houston lies within Harris County. However, parts of the city extend into Fort Bend County and Montgomery County.

HPD jurisdiction is generally determined by Houston city limits rather than by county boundaries. Therefore, a Houston address located in the Fort Bend or Montgomery County portion of the city may still receive police service from HPD.

The Houston Police Department is separate from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. HPD provides municipal policing inside Houston, while the Sheriff’s Office operates the Harris County Jail, serves county courts and provides law enforcement in unincorporated parts of Harris County.

How to File a Houston Police Report

Some minor incidents can be reported through HPD’s online reporting system. Eligible categories include certain cases involving lost property, non-vehicle theft, theft of services, vandalism and illegal dumping.

Online reporting is available only under specific conditions. It should not be used when:

• The incident is an emergency or crime in progress.
• Someone has been injured.
• A suspect or witness is known.
• Evidence needs to be collected.
• Force or an unlawful break-in occurred.
• A vehicle was stolen.
• The incident was a crash or hit-and-run collision.
• The event happened outside Houston city limits.

After an online report is submitted, the person receives a temporary incident number. HPD reviews the information, and an approved report is later issued with a permanent incident number. A person who needs an officer to respond should call 713-884-3131 instead of using the online form.

Obtaining Police and Accident Reports

The HPD Records Division is located on the first floor of 1200 Travis Street. Its public counter generally operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding city holidays.

To locate an offence report, provide as much information as possible, including the HPD incident number, date, address, type of incident and names of the people involved. The public version may exclude confidential information, protected victim details or information connected to an active investigation.

Crash reports normally require approximately five to eight days of processing before becoming available. Accident-report assistance is available through 713-308-8500, Option 3. More extensive documents may require a written request under the Texas Public Information Act.

Victim Assistance and Property Retrieval

HPD Victim Services helps crime victims and their families understand available assistance, including referrals and the Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation process. The main Victim Services office is at police headquarters and can be contacted at 713-308-0080. Victim-service personnel are also available through selected patrol divisions.

The HPD Property Division is located at 1202 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX 77002. Its public hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., excluding city holidays. The telephone number is 832-394-4000.

Evidence connected to a criminal investigation cannot normally be collected simply by visiting the property office. The investigator assigned to the case must first approve its release, unless the person has an appropriate court order. Valid identification is required when collecting property.

Complaints About an HPD Employee

Complaints against Houston Police Department employees are handled through the Internal Affairs Division and Central Intake Office. A complaint may be initiated with a supervisor at any HPD substation, including outside normal office hours.

The Central Intake Office is located at 1200 Travis Street, Suite 2001. Its regular hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding city holidays. The Central Intake number is 713-308-0040, while Internal Affairs can be reached at 713-308-8900.

Texas requirements may require a formal complaint against an officer to be submitted as a sworn and notarized statement. Serious allegations are normally investigated by Internal Affairs, while less serious procedural or conduct complaints may be referred to the employee’s division.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I report a stolen vehicle through the HPD online reporting system?

A: No. Stolen vehicles cannot be reported through the online form. Call 713-884-3131 so an officer can take the report. Call 911 when the theft is happening or creates an immediate danger.

Q: Which HPD station should I contact if I do not know my patrol division?

A: Use the HPD beat and division map to search the exact incident address. You may also call the non-emergency number and ask the dispatcher to identify the correct patrol division.

Q: Can HPD take a report for an incident outside Houston?

A: Normally, the police department or sheriff’s office responsible for the location where the incident occurred must take the report. HPD’s online reporting system cannot be used for incidents outside Houston city limits.

Q: Does Houston Police Department operate the Harris County Jail?

A: No. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office operates the county jail system. For information about a person held in the Harris County Jail, call 713-755-5300 or use the Sheriff’s Office inmate-search service.

Q: What should I do if my car has been towed after an HPD incident?

A: Call the HPD wrecker and tow line at 713-308-8580. Be prepared to provide the vehicle’s licence plate number, vehicle identification number, description and the location from which it was removed.

Q: Can I immediately collect property taken as evidence?

A: Usually not. Evidentiary property generally requires written authorization from the investigator handling the case or an appropriate court order. Contact the investigative division before going to the Property Division.

Q: Can I request additional patrols while I am away from home?

A: HPD provides an Alert Slip process through which residents or businesses can request increased patrol attention because of a vacation, suspicious activity, repeated burglaries, speeding vehicles or similar concerns. An Alert Slip does not guarantee continuous surveillance or replace an emergency call.

Q: Can an anonymous person obtain a full police report?

A: Only information considered public under Texas law can be released. Complete reports may contain confidential sections that cannot be provided to the general public. A written open-records request may be required, and some information may be withheld or redacted.