St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department: Address, Phone Number, Districts and City Jurisdiction

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, commonly known as SLMPD, is the main law-enforcement agency serving the City of St. Louis, Missouri. It responds to emergencies, investigates crimes, enforces traffic laws and provides specialised services involving homicide, domestic violence, narcotics, tactical operations, crime prevention and community policing.

St. Louis Police divides the city into six geographic police districts. These districts are grouped into three patrol divisions: South Patrol, Central Patrol and North Patrol. Two police districts operate from each patrol division facility.

Residents should call 911 when a crime is happening, someone is in immediate danger or urgent police, fire or medical assistance is required. The department’s main non-emergency number is 314-231-1212.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Quick Information

St. Louis Police Department Headquarters

SLMPD headquarters is located at: 1915 Olive Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103

The headquarters contains department-wide administrative, investigative and support functions.

The primary non-emergency police telephone number is: 314-231-1212

Call 911 when:

• A crime is currently happening.
• 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 presents an immediate danger.
• A missing person may be in immediate danger.
• Immediate police, fire or medical assistance is required.

The non-emergency number should be used when police assistance is needed but the situation does not involve an immediate threat.

Important St. Louis Police Phone Numbers

Specialised telephone numbers should mainly be used for records, complaints, follow-up and administrative services. New incidents requiring an officer should normally be reported through 911 or the non-emergency police line.

St. Louis Police Districts

SLMPD operates six geographic districts grouped into three patrol divisions.

Residents do not need to know their police district before calling for assistance. The City provides an address-based police-district lookup, and dispatchers can determine the correct district from the incident location.

South Patrol Division

The South Patrol Division operates from:

3157 Sublette Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63139

Telephone:

314-444-0100

South Patrol contains:

• District 1
• District 2

It provides police services to communities across southern St. Louis.

Patrol officers assigned to these districts handle:

• Emergency calls
• Non-emergency incidents
• Domestic disturbances
• Property crime
• Suspicious activity
• Welfare checks
• Missing-person reports
• Traffic complaints
• Vehicle crashes
• Arrests
• Neighborhood patrol

The first responding officer normally conducts the preliminary investigation and prepares the initial police report.

District 1

District 1 covers neighborhoods in the southwestern and southern portions of the city.

Its service area includes communities such as:

• Carondelet
• Holly Hills
• Boulevard Heights
• Bevo Mill
• Princeton Heights
• Louis Hills
• Southampton
• Other surrounding neighborhoods

District boundaries are based on official police geography rather than ZIP codes.

District 2

District 2 covers additional areas of south and southwest St. Louis.

Its communities include areas around:

• The Hill
• Clifton Heights
• Lindenwood Park
• Southwest Garden
• Tower Grove South
• Other nearby neighborhoods

District 2 officers operate from the same South Patrol facility as District 1.

Central Patrol Division

Central Patrol is located at:

919 N. Jefferson Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63106

Telephone:

314-444-2500

Central Patrol contains:

• District 3
• District 4

It serves central portions of St. Louis, including downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

The area includes major:

• Business districts
• Sports and entertainment venues
• Government buildings
• Residential communities
• Hotels
• Tourist destinations

Central Patrol officers handle both neighborhood calls and large events that attract substantial numbers of residents and visitors.

District 3

District 3 serves communities in the central and south-central parts of St. Louis.

Its coverage includes neighborhoods such as:

• Tower Grove East
• Benton Park
• Soulard
• Lafayette Square
• Marine Villa
• Other nearby communities

Officers respond to residential, business, entertainment and traffic-related incidents throughout the district.

District 4

District 4 serves downtown St. Louis and other central neighborhoods.

The district includes areas containing:

• Downtown businesses
• Convention facilities
• Sports venues
• Entertainment districts
• Hotels
• Government buildings

Because of the concentration of major events and visitor destinations, District 4 officers frequently handle crowd management, traffic and event-related public-safety duties in addition to ordinary patrol calls.

North Patrol Division

North Patrol operates from:

4014 Union Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63115

Telephone:

314-444-0001

North Patrol contains:

• District 5
• District 6

It serves large portions of northern St. Louis.

Officers respond to emergencies, investigate crimes and work with community organizations and businesses throughout North St. Louis.

District 5

District 5 covers several neighborhoods in north-central St. Louis.

Officers assigned to the district handle both emergency response and continuing neighborhood crime concerns.

Police responsibilities may include:

• Violent-crime response
• Property-crime investigations
• Neighborhood patrol
• Traffic enforcement
• Community meetings
• Crime-prevention activity

District 6

District 6 serves communities in northern and northwestern sections of St. Louis.

It operates from the same North Patrol facility as District 5.

Residents and business owners can work with district officers on recurring problems such as suspicious activity, property crime and neighborhood safety.

SLMPD Patrol Operations

Uniformed patrol officers provide the department’s main frontline services across all six police districts.

Patrol duties include:

• Responding to 911 calls
• Handling non-emergency calls
• Conducting preliminary investigations
• Responding to domestic incidents
• Conducting welfare checks
• Searching for missing persons
• Investigating suspicious activity
• Enforcing traffic laws
• Responding to collisions
• Making arrests
• Providing visible patrol

A patrol officer normally collects the first available information and evidence.

Cases requiring additional investigation may later be assigned to detectives.

Criminal Investigations

SLMPD maintains specialised investigators for serious and complex crimes.

Investigations may involve:

• Homicide
• Robbery
• Serious assault
• Domestic violence
• Sexual offences
• Crimes against children
• Burglary
• Auto theft
• Fraud
• Missing persons
• Firearms offences
• Gang activity
• Narcotics

Detectives may:

• Interview victims
• Interview witnesses
• Review surveillance recordings
• Examine digital evidence
• Obtain warrants
• Coordinate forensic testing
• Work with prosecutors

Anyone facing an immediate threat should call 911 rather than attempting to contact an investigative unit directly.

Specialised Police Units

SLMPD also maintains specialised personnel and resources for incidents beyond routine patrol operations.

These may include:

• SWAT
• K-9 teams
• Bomb and arson investigations
• Traffic enforcement
• Mounted patrol
• Tactical operations
• Intelligence
• Gang investigations
• Narcotics enforcement
• Crime-scene services
• Special-event policing

These units may assist individual police districts or operate citywide depending on the incident.

What County Is the St. Louis Police Department In?

This is an important distinction.

The City of St. Louis is an independent city. It is not legally part of St. Louis County.

Therefore, SLMPD serves the City of St. Louis, not St. Louis County.

St. Louis County surrounds much of the city but is a completely separate local government with separate law-enforcement agencies.

The St. Louis County Police Department is different from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Residents should pay attention to the exact incident location rather than relying only on a mailing address.

Other agencies operating in the metropolitan area include:

• Louis County Police Department
• Missouri State Highway Patrol
• Louis County Sheriff’s Office
• City of St. Louis Sheriff’s Office
• University police departments
• Transit law-enforcement agencies
• Federal agencies

Call 911 during an emergency even when unsure which agency has jurisdiction.

How to File a St. Louis Police Report

For an emergency or crime currently in progress, call:

911

For a crime that is no longer in progress or another non-emergency police matter, call:

314-231-1212

The dispatcher can determine whether:

• An officer should respond.
• The caller should visit a patrol division.
• Another reporting procedure is appropriate.
• Another agency has jurisdiction.

When filing a police report, provide as much information as possible.

Useful information includes:

• Exact location
• Date and approximate time
• Description of what happened
• Suspect description
• Vehicle description and licence plate
• Witness information
• Photographs
• Surveillance video
• Serial numbers
• Estimated value of stolen property

Can a St. Louis Police Report Be Filed Online?

Residents should distinguish between filing a new crime report and requesting an existing police record online.

SLMPD provides an online public-records portal for Sunshine Law requests. That system is designed for obtaining existing records and is not a replacement for calling police to report a new crime.

For a new incident, use:

• 911 for emergencies
• 314-231-1212 for non-emergencies

The City also provides online service-request systems for municipal problems such as illegal dumping, abandoned property and other non-police city-service matters.

Reporting a Stolen Vehicle

A stolen vehicle should be reported directly to police so the vehicle can be entered into law-enforcement databases.

The registered owner should provide:

• Vehicle identification number
• Licence plate number
• Year
• Make
• Model
• Vehicle colour
• Registered owner information
• Last known location
• Approximate time of disappearance
• Information about available keys
• GPS or tracking information

Before reporting a vehicle stolen, check whether it may have been:

• Towed
• Repossessed
• Moved by another authorised person

Call 911 if the theft is happening at that moment or the suspect remains nearby.

Otherwise, call 314-231-1212.

Obtaining a St. Louis Police Report

For information about obtaining a police report, call:

314-444-5551

SLMPD maintains records involving incidents, arrests and other police activity.

A person requesting a report should have:

• Police complaint or report number
• Incident date
• Exact location
• Names of involved people
• Requester identification when required

Whether a record can be released depends on Missouri law and the requester’s connection to the incident.

Some records may contain information that must be removed before release, including protected victim information or details connected with an active investigation.

Sunshine Law and Public Records Requests

More extensive police-record requests can be submitted through SLMPD’s Sunshine Law system.

The Sunshine Law Unit can be contacted at:

314-444-5388

This process may be appropriate for:

• Administrative records
• Police policies
• Large record requests
• Investigative material eligible for release
• Police video
• Statistical information
• Other department records

A detailed request is usually easier to process than a broad request.

Include the report number, incident date, location and specific records being requested whenever possible.

Background Checks

For information about SLMPD background or police-record checks, call:

314-444-5541

A local police record check should not be confused with:

• A Missouri statewide criminal-history check
• An FBI nationwide criminal-history check
• A commercial employment background check

Applicants should determine exactly which type of check their employer, licensing agency or other requesting organization requires.

Property and Evidence Retrieval

SLMPD maintains custody of evidence and property collected during criminal investigations.

Items may include:

• Criminal evidence
• Found property
• Safekeeping property
• Recovered stolen items
• Firearms
• Electronic devices
• Personal belongings

A person seeking property should contact the investigating officer or call the department’s main non-emergency line for directions to the appropriate property service.

Be prepared to provide:

• Government-issued identification
• Police report number
• Property receipt when available
• Proof of ownership
• Investigator or court authorization when required

Evidence generally cannot be released while it remains necessary for an investigation, prosecution or court proceeding.

St. Louis City Tow Lot

The City of St. Louis operates its own Towing Division and vehicle storage facility.

The City Tow Lot is located at:

7410 Hall Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63147

Telephone:

314-383-7546

Vehicles may be towed because of:

• Traffic accidents
• An arrest involving the driver
• Illegal parking
• Blocking a fire hydrant
• Blocking an alley or intersection
• Street-cleaning violations
• Abandonment
• Parking-ticket enforcement
• Police investigations

The City provides an online towed-vehicle lookup.

How to Retrieve a Towed Vehicle

Before visiting the lot, vehicle owners should verify that the vehicle is being held there.

To recover a vehicle, the owner may need:

• Vehicle registration
• Valid driver’s licence
• Proof that required parking citations have been resolved
• Payment of towing and storage charges
• Police release order when a police hold was placed on the vehicle

Public vehicle-retrieval hours are generally:

Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

A vehicle held as evidence cannot be released until police remove the hold.

St. Louis Police and City Justice Center

St. Louis is another jurisdiction where the usual “county jail” description can be misleading.

The primary city detention facility is:

City Justice Center
200 S. Tucker Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63102

Telephone:

314-621-5848

The City Justice Center is operated by the City of St. Louis Division of Corrections, not by SLMPD.

People arrested by St. Louis Police may be:

• Temporarily held in police custody
• Waiting at a police station for transportation
• Processed by SLMPD Prisoner Processing
• Transferred to the City Justice Center
• Released after processing

For SLMPD Prisoner Processing, call:

314-241-8339

How to Find a St. Louis City Inmate

The City provides an online inmate locator for people held by the Division of Corrections.

The search generally requires the person’s exact:

• First name
• Last name

A recently arrested person may not immediately appear in the inmate locator.

Possible reasons include:

• The person remains in police custody.
• The person is waiting at a patrol division.
• Booking has not been completed.
• The person has already been released.

When a person cannot be found in the city inmate locator but is believed to remain in police custody, contact SLMPD Prisoner Processing at 314-241-8339.

St. Louis City vs St. Louis County Jail

The City Justice Center should not be confused with detention facilities operated in St. Louis County.

The City of St. Louis and St. Louis County are separate jurisdictions.

Therefore, a person arrested by:

• SLMPD may enter the City of St. Louis detention system.
• Louis County Police or another county agency may enter a St. Louis County detention facility.

Always verify the arresting agency before searching for an inmate.

Complaints About St. Louis Police Employees

Complaints involving SLMPD officers or civilian employees can be directed to Internal Affairs.

The Internal Affairs contact number is:

314-444-5652

A useful complaint should include:

• Incident date
• Approximate time
• Exact location
• Officer’s name when known
• Badge or vehicle information
• Police report number
• Witness information
• Photographs or recordings
• A detailed description of what occurred

A complaint may still be submitted when the officer’s identity is unknown. The time, location, vehicle number and description of the employee may help identify the person involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How many police districts does St. Louis have?

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has six geographic districts. Districts 1 and 2 form South Patrol, Districts 3 and 4 form Central Patrol, and Districts 5 and 6 form North Patrol.

Q2. What is the St. Louis Police non-emergency number?

The main SLMPD non-emergency number is 314-231-1212. Call 911 when a crime is happening or someone is in immediate danger.

Q3. Is St. Louis City part of St. Louis County?

No. The City of St. Louis is an independent city and is legally separate from St. Louis County. SLMPD and the St. Louis County Police Department are different agencies.

Q4. How can I locate a vehicle towed in St. Louis?

Use the City’s towed-vehicle lookup or contact the St. Louis Towing Division at 314-383-7546. The City Tow Lot is located at 7410 Hall Street.

Q5. Does St. Louis Police operate the City Justice Center?

No. The City Justice Center is operated by the City of St. Louis Division of Corrections. It is located at 200 S. Tucker Boulevard and can be contacted at 314-621-5848.