The City of Lowell is the fourth largest city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with more than 109,000 residents. Lowell is a very diverse community; it has been estimated that nearly one-third of residents have emigrated from a variety of countries, including Cambodia, Brazil, Portugal, and several African nations. The Lowell Police Department (LPD) currently consists of 250 full-time sworn officers who are responsible for patrolling 14.5 square miles. Additionally, 74 full-time civilian staff members support operations in various capacities including dispatch, records management, community outreach, grant and fiscal management, research and development, crime analysis, and management information systems. The mission of the LPD is to work with the community to reduce crime, to lower the fear of crime, and to improve the quality of life in Lowell. The LPD focuses on partnership, professionalism, integrity, and fairness.

Since the mid-1990s, the LPD has been considered a leader in community policing. Key components of this success are the agency’s partnerships with residents, businesses, and social service agencies within the city. The LPD has a history of working with and alongside these partners to help solve the very complex issues daily facing public safety.