By Amelia Anderson The Huntsville Police Department, commonly known as HPD, is the municipal law-enforcement agency serving Huntsville, Alabama. It responds to emergencies, investigates crimes, enforces traffic laws and provides community-policing, crime-prevention and specialised public-safety services.
Huntsville Police operates through three geographic precincts: North, South and West. Patrol officers provide 24-hour coverage throughout the city, while investigative, special-operations and administrative divisions support frontline policing.
Residents should call 911 when a crime is happening, someone is in immediate danger or urgent assistance is required. For situations that are not emergencies but still require police attention, the department’s non-emergency number is 256-722-7100.
Huntsville Police Department Quick Information
| Information | Details |
| Official name | Huntsville Police Department |
| Common abbreviation | HPD |
| Headquarters address | 815 Wheeler Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35801 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 2085, Huntsville, AL 35804-2085 |
| Emergency number | 911 |
| Non-emergency police assistance | 256-722-7100 |
| Headquarters/general information | 256-692-7958 |
| Police Records | 256-427-7020 |
| Criminal Investigations | 256-427-7270 |
| Internal Affairs | 256-427-7012 |
| Special Operations | 256-427-5580 |
| Drug activity reporting | 256-427-5456 |
| Number of precincts | Three |
| Precincts | North, South and West |
| Main county | Madison County |
| Police Records public hours | Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Police towing company | Roadside Towing |
| Towing phone number | 256-533-0809 |
| Madison County Jail information | 256-519-4800 |
Huntsville Police Department Address
Huntsville Police Headquarters is located at:
- 815 Wheeler Avenue, Huntsville, Alabama 35801
The headquarters is located near downtown Huntsville and houses police administration, Records and several operational and support services.
The main headquarters and general information number is:
- 256-692-7958
For non-emergency police assistance, residents should call:
- 256-722-7100
Police officers are available 24 hours a day. Administrative and records offices have separate business hours.
Call 911 when:
- A crime is currently taking place.
- Someone is injured or in immediate danger.
- A firearm or another dangerous weapon is involved.
- A suspect remains at or near the scene.
- A serious traffic collision has occurred.
- A child or vulnerable person is missing in dangerous circumstances.
- Immediate police, fire or medical assistance is required.
For a delayed incident, suspicious activity or another matter without an immediate threat, call 256-722-7100.
Important Huntsville Police Phone Numbers
| Police service | Phone number |
| Emergency assistance | 911 |
| Non-emergency police assistance | 256-722-7100 |
| Headquarters/general information | 256-692-7958 |
| Police Records | 256-427-7020 |
| Criminal Investigations Division | 256-427-7270 |
| Internal Affairs | 256-427-7012 |
| Special Operations | 256-427-5580 |
| Report drug activity | 256-427-5456 |
| North Precinct general information | 256-746-4111 |
| South Precinct general information | 256-213-4500 |
| West Precinct general information | 256-427-5461 |
| Madison County Jail | 256-519-4800 |
| Roadside Towing | 256-533-0809 |
Specialised numbers are mainly intended for information, appointments and case follow-up. New incidents should normally be reported through 911 or the non-emergency police number.
Huntsville Police Precincts
Huntsville Police divides the city into three geographic precincts.
| Police precinct | Address | General information | File a report |
| North Precinct | 4014 North Memorial Parkway, Huntsville, AL 35810 | 256-746-4111 | 256-427-7224 |
| South Precinct | 7900 Bailey Cove Road, Huntsville, AL 35802 | 256-213-4500 | 256-427-7226 |
| West Precinct | 2110 Clinton Avenue W., Huntsville, AL 35805 | 256-427-5461 | 256-427-7225 |
Report-taking services at precincts are generally available during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Patrol officers continue working around the clock.
North Precinct
The North Precinct is located at:
4014 North Memorial Parkway
Huntsville, Alabama 35810
The precinct patrols approximately 46.8 square miles in northern Huntsville.
Its officers serve residential neighbourhoods, commercial areas, schools and major roads in the northern part of the city.
For general information, call 256-746-4111. To file a report during business hours, call 256-427-7224.
South Precinct
The South Precinct is located at:
7900 Bailey Cove Road
Huntsville, Alabama 35802
It serves southern Huntsville, including residential communities, shopping districts and growing areas around major roads.
For general precinct information, call 256-213-4500. To file a report during business hours, call 256-427-7226.
West Precinct
The West Precinct is located at: 2110 Clinton Avenue W., Huntsville, Alabama 35805
The precinct patrols approximately 76.6 square miles and serves western sections of the city.
Its jurisdiction includes residential communities, major employment centres, shopping areas and rapidly developing parts of western Huntsville.
For general information, call 256-427-5461. To file a report during business hours, call 256-427-7225.
Residents do not need to know their precinct before calling police. Dispatchers can determine the appropriate patrol unit from the exact incident address.
Huntsville Police Department Bureaus and Divisions
HPD is organised into several major operational areas, including the Operations Bureau, Investigations Bureau, Administrative Services Bureau and Professional Standards and Training Division.
Operations Bureau
The Operations Bureau manages frontline police services, including the three geographic precincts.
Patrol officers handle:
- Emergency and non-emergency calls
- Preliminary criminal investigations
- Domestic disturbances
- Suspicious-person and vehicle reports
- Welfare checks
- Missing-person reports
- Traffic enforcement
- Vehicle crashes
- Arrests and warrant-related activity
- Visible neighbourhood patrol
A patrol officer normally completes the first police report and gathers immediately available evidence.
A case requiring extended investigation may later be assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division.
Criminal Investigations Division
The Criminal Investigations Division is located at:
- 2820 Holmes Avenue NW, Huntsville, Alabama 35816
The general information number is 256-427-7270.
Detectives investigate serious crimes and cases that require additional follow-up after the initial patrol response.
Investigative responsibilities include cases involving:
- Homicide
- Robbery
- Serious assault
- Sexual offences
- Domestic violence
- Crimes against children
- Burglary
- Auto theft
- Financial crime
- Missing persons
- Property crime
- Organised criminal activity
Detectives may interview victims and witnesses, review security video, analyse digital information, obtain warrants and work with prosecutors.
People calling about an existing investigation should keep their police case number available.
Special Operations Division
The Special Operations Division supports patrol officers and investigators during incidents requiring specialised equipment, training or tactics.
The general Special Operations number is 256-427-5580.
Specialised functions include units dealing with:
- Tactical operations
- Police K-9 services
- Bomb-related incidents
- Traffic enforcement
- Special events
- Crisis response
- Drug investigations
- High-risk arrests
- Emergency operations
Special Operations personnel may also work with state and federal agencies when an investigation or emergency extends beyond Huntsville.
Community Relations and Crime Prevention
HPD maintains community-relations personnel who work with residents, businesses, schools and neighbourhood organisations.
Community programs may include:
- Neighborhood Watch
- Crime-prevention presentations
- Community meetings
- Youth programs
- Business-security education
- Citizen-police programs
- Safety events
- Neighbourhood problem solving
Community programs are intended for continuing public-safety concerns and relationship building. They do not replace 911 or the police non-emergency number when an officer is needed.
What County Is the Huntsville Police Department In?
Huntsville Police Headquarters is located in Madison County, Alabama, and most of Huntsville is within Madison County.
However, Huntsville has expanded through annexation beyond the traditional Madison County boundary. HPD jurisdiction follows the incorporated City of Huntsville rather than simply the county line.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is a separate law-enforcement agency. It provides county services, operates the county jail, serves warrants and performs law-enforcement duties in unincorporated areas.
Nearby Madison has its own municipal police department.
Other specialised agencies may also operate within the Huntsville area, including:
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
- Redstone Arsenal law enforcement
- University police departments
- Madison County Sheriff’s Office
- Federal law-enforcement agencies
The exact incident location determines which agency has primary responsibility.
How to File a Huntsville Police Report
HPD provides several ways to make an official police report.
For a non-emergency report, call:
256-722-7100
A police communications representative will determine how the report should be completed.
When an Officer May Respond
An officer may be sent to the incident location when:
- The suspect is known.
- Fingerprints or identifying evidence may be present.
- Serious physical injury occurred.
- The incident involves sexual assault.
- Evidence must be collected.
- Additional investigation is immediately necessary.
An officer may also respond to a hospital or other medical facility when appropriate.
Reports Completed by Telephone
Some reports can be completed by telephone when there is no evidence requiring collection and the primary purpose is documentation.
Examples include:
- Minor theft
- Gasoline theft
- Certain property incidents
- Documentation required for insurance
Residents may call 256-692-7958 for information about telephone reporting.
Filing a Report in Person
People may also visit:
Huntsville Police Department
815 Wheeler Avenue NW
Huntsville, AL 35801
Police officers are available 24 hours a day.
Reports can also be initiated through the North, South or West precinct during designated report-taking hours.
Reporting a Stolen Vehicle
A stolen vehicle should be reported directly to police so its information can be entered into state and national law-enforcement databases.
The registered owner should provide:
- Vehicle identification number
- Licence plate number
- Year, make and model
- Vehicle colour
- Registered owner’s name
- Last known location
- Approximate time of disappearance
- Information about available keys
- GPS or tracking details when available
Before reporting a vehicle stolen, check whether it may have been towed, repossessed or moved by another authorised person.
Call 911 when the theft is happening, violence was involved or the suspect remains nearby.
Otherwise, call 256-722-7100.
Huntsville Police Records Division
The Records Division is located at:
815 Wheeler Avenue NW
Huntsville, Alabama 35801
The Records telephone number is:
256-427-7020
The division operates continuously for law-enforcement purposes, while its public counter is generally open:
Monday through Friday
7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Records personnel maintain:
- Criminal case reports
- Traffic accident reports
- Arrest-related records
- Criminal-history information
- Department documentation
- Other qualifying police records
Obtaining a Criminal Case Report
A listed victim or reporting party may purchase a copy of a criminal case report from the Records Division.
Reports generally require approximately 72 hours for processing.
The standard criminal case report fee is $10.
A person listed in another role on the report may need to obtain the complete report through a subpoena or another legally authorised procedure.
Requesters should have:
- Police case number
- Date of incident
- Exact location
- Names of involved people
- Government-issued identification
Sensitive or legally protected information may be removed before a report is released.
Obtaining a Traffic Accident Report
Traffic accident reports can be obtained online or in person from the Records Division.
The standard in-person report fee is $10.
When requesting a report by mail, the required payment and mailing arrangements may be slightly different.
Drivers should provide:
- Accident date
- Location
- Names of involved drivers
- Police report number when available
A crash report may not be available immediately because the investigating officer must complete and submit it.
Huntsville Police Background Checks
Local background checks are available through the Identification Department within the Records Division.
Requests must generally be made in person at 815 Wheeler Avenue during regular Records business hours.
Applicants need valid government-issued photo identification.
The fee generally ranges from $5 to $10, depending on the requested service.
A Huntsville Police background check covers qualifying local records and should not be confused with a nationwide FBI criminal-history check.
Property and Evidence Retrieval
The HPD Evidence Unit is responsible for safeguarding:
- Criminal evidence
- Found property
- Safekeeping property
- Recovered stolen property
- Firearms
- Personal belongings
- Other property collected by officers
Property connected with an active criminal case cannot normally be released until investigators or the courts have authorised its return.
A person seeking property should be prepared to provide:
- Government-issued identification
- Police case number
- Property description
- Proof of ownership
- Required release authorisation
Firearms have additional release requirements.
Before a firearm is returned, HPD reviews the owner’s legal eligibility and the status of the weapon. Firearm-release processing may take a minimum of several weeks because background and records checks must be completed.
Towed and Impounded Vehicles
Police-related impound information is handled in coordination with Roadside Towing.
The towing company can be contacted at: 256-533-0809
A person whose vehicle is missing should first determine whether the vehicle was towed before reporting it stolen.
Have the following information ready:
- Licence plate number
- Vehicle identification number
- Vehicle make and model
- Vehicle colour
- Registered owner’s name
- Location where the vehicle was parked
- Approximate time it disappeared
The registered owner will normally need valid identification, proof of ownership and payment of applicable towing and storage charges.
A vehicle being held as criminal evidence cannot be released until the investigating officer removes the police hold.
Huntsville Police and Madison County Jail
Huntsville Police officers make arrests, but HPD does not operate the county jail.
People arrested by Huntsville Police may be booked into the:
Madison County Detention Facility
815 Wheeler Avenue
Huntsville, Alabama 35801
The facility is operated by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
The 24-hour jail booking and inmate-information number is: 256-519-4800
The Sheriff’s Office provides an online inmate roster where the public can search current bookings.
Information may include:
- Inmate name
- Booking number
- Booking date
- Charges
- Bond amount
- Custody status
- Holds
A recently arrested person may not appear immediately because booking, identification and medical screening procedures must first be completed.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Huntsville Police Department are separate agencies even though their facilities are located in the same public-safety area.
Complaints About Huntsville Police Employees
Complaints involving HPD employees are handled by the Internal Affairs Division.
Internal Affairs is located at:
820 North Memorial Parkway
Huntsville, Alabama
The telephone number is:
256-427-7012
Office hours are generally Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Formal complaints must generally be signed by the complainant.
Complaints can be made:
- In person
- By telephone
- In writing
- By email
After normal Internal Affairs hours, residents can call 256-722-7100 and ask to speak with a field supervisor.
A useful complaint should include:
- Date and time
- Exact location
- Officer’s name or employee number when known
- Police case number
- Witness information
- Photographs or video
- A detailed description of what happened
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How many police precincts does Huntsville have?
Huntsville Police has three geographic precincts: North, South and West.
Q2. What is the Huntsville Police non-emergency number?
The main non-emergency police assistance number is 256-722-7100. Call 911 when someone is in danger or a crime is currently happening.
Q3. Can I file a Huntsville police report by telephone?
Yes. Certain minor incidents without physical evidence can be documented by telephone. Police will determine whether an officer needs to respond after the initial call.
Q4. How can I find out whether my vehicle was towed?
Contact Roadside Towing at 256-533-0809 or call Huntsville Police non-emergency assistance. Have the licence plate number and VIN available.
Q5. Does Huntsville Police operate the Madison County Jail?
No. The Madison County Detention Facility is operated by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Jail and booking information is available at 256-519-4800.