Letter from the Chief

Thank you for visiting the Joplin Police Department website. I hope that you will find the information that we have provided very useful.

The Joplin Police Department has been serving Joplin since 1873. We are committed to providing the most professional service possible to the 52,000 people that call Joplin home as well as the additional 240,000 people that work in and come to visit Joplin every day. Our goal is to provide a safe and secure community for those who live in, work in, and visit our city. A safe community is a vibrant community.

The Joplin Police Department is an internationally accredited agency through CALEA. The department’s philosophy lends itself to a highly-trained and competent staff that is innovative in its approach to crime control, traffic safety, and improving the quality of life for Joplin citizens. We are authorized for 113 sworn police officer positions along with 53 civilian personnel. The 53 civilian personnel represent those that work in Records, Administrative Assistants, CALEA Coordinator, Crime Analyst, Jail, and Dispatch.

Brian Lewis
Interim Chief of Police