Capitol police in the United States are agencies charged with the provision of security police services for various state agencies, but especially state legislatures. Capitol police may function as part of the state police or may be an independent agency. There is also a federal capitol police agency.
Security police for government facilities are a very old idea, dating back at least to the guards posted at Solomon's temple and including such units as the Praetorian Guard and the Coldstream Guards.
United States Capitol Police The United States Capitol Police is the agency charged with the protection of the United States Capitol and some surrounding buildings, including the Library of Congress.
State capitol police agencies This table sorts police forces into: independent agencies, where they report directly to the legislature (and not the executive branch of the state government) operational units of the state government, where they form part of another state agency (often the Department of Public Safety) operational units of the state police, where the capitol security function is provided by a dedicated unit that is part of the state police/highway patrol
+ Capitol police forces State Name Status Parent agency Notes Alabama Capitol Patrol Unit Operational unit of the state police Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Protective Services Alaska Legislative Security Independent agency Legislative Affairs Agency Arizona Legislative Security Operational unit of the state police Arizona Department of Public Safety Arizona State Capitol Police merged with the Department of Public Safety in 2011 Arkansas Arkansas State Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Arkansas Secretary of State California Capitol Protection Section Operational unit of the state police California Highway Patrol California State Police merged with the California Highway Patrol in 1995 Colorado Executive Security Branch Operational unit of the state police Colorado State Patrol Connecticut Connecticut State Capitol Police Independent agency Connecticut General Assembly Delaware Delaware Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security Florida Florida Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Florida Department of Law Enforcement Georgia Capitol Police Services Unit Operational unit of the state government Georgia Department of Public Safety Hawaii Capitol Section Operational unit of the state police Hawaii Department of Public Safety, Sheriff Division Idaho Capitol Mall Security Operational unit of the state government Idaho Department of Administration, Capitol Mall Services Illinois Illinois State Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Illinois Secretary of State Indiana Capitol Police Section Operational unit of the state police Indiana State Police Iowa Iowa State Patrol, District 16 Operational unit of the state police Iowa State Patrol Iowa Capitol Police merged with Iowa State Patrol in 2000 Kansas Kansas Highway Patrol, Troop K Operational unit of the state police Kansas Highway Patrol Kentucky Division of Facilities Security Operational unit of the state police Kentucky State Police Louisiana Capitol Detail, DPS Police Operational unit of the state police Louisiana State Police Maine Maine Bureau of Capitol Police Operational unit of the state police Maine State Police From 2025, the Capitol Police are merging with the State Police Maryland Maryland Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Maryland Department of General Services Massachusetts Massachusetts State Police Operational unit of the state police Massachusetts State Police Massachusetts Capitol Police merged into the Massachusetts State Police in 1992 Michigan Capitol Security Section Operational unit of the state police Michigan State Police Minnesota Capitol Security Operational unit of the state police Minnesota State Patrol Mississippi Office of Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Mississippi Department of Public Safety Missouri Missouri Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Missouri Department of Public Safety Montana Montana Highway Patrol Operational unit of the state police Montana Highway Patrol Nebraska State Capitol Security Division Operational unit of the state police Nebraska State Patrol Nevada Nevada Capitol Policepolice the buildings used by the executive branch Operational unit of the state government Nevada Department of Public Safety Nevada State Legislative Police police State Legislature when in session Independent agency Nevada Legislature New Hampshire State House Security Unit Operational unit of the state police New Hampshire Division of State Police New Jersey Statehouse Complex Security Unit Operational unit of the state police Office of State Governmental Security, New Jersey State Police New York New York State Police Operational unit of the state police Parent agency New York State Capital Police merged with the New York State Police in 1997 New Mexico Legislative Detail Operational unit of the state police New Mexico State Police North Carolina North Carolina State Capitol Police police the North Carolina State Capitol building, now used by the executive branch Operational unit of the state government North Carolina Department of Public Safety North Carolina General Assembly Police police the North Carolina State Legislative Building building Independent agency North Carolina General Assembly North Dakota Capitol Security Operational unit of the state police North Dakota Highway Patrol Ohio Capitol Operations Unit Operational unit of the state police Ohio State Highway Patrol Oklahoma Capitol Patrol Section Operational unit of the state police Oklahoma Highway Patrol Oregon Oregon State Police Operational unit of the state police Oregon State Police Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Pennsylvania Department of General Services Rhode Island Rhode Island Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Rhode Island Department of Public Safety South Carolina State House Patrol Division Operational unit of the state government South Carolina Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Protective Services South Dakota South Dakota Highway Patrol Operational unit of the state police South Dakota Highway Patrol Tennessee Capitol Protection Unit Operational unit of the state police Protective Services and Special Programs Bureau, Tennessee Highway Patrol Texas Capitol Detail Operational unit of the state police Texas Highway Patrol Capitol Security Police Division of the State Purchasing and General Services Commission merged with the Texas Department of Public Safety in 1991 Utah Utah Highway Patrol Operational unit of the state police Utah Highway Patrol Vermont Vermont Capitol Police Department Independent agency Vermont State Legislature Virginia Virginia Capitol Police Independent agency Virginia General Assembly Washington Capitol Campus Detachment Operational unit of the state police Washington State Patrol West Virginia West Virginia Division of Protective Services (Capitol Police) Operational unit of the state government West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Wisconsin Wisconsin Capitol Police Operational unit of the state government Wisconsin Department of Administration Wyoming Executive Protection Detail Operational unit of the state police Wyoming Highway Patrol
See also Public safety department
In other countries Republican Guard (France) German Parliament Police Ontario Legislative Security Service Parliamentary Protective Service, Canada Eishi (Serjeant-at-arms), Japan
References