Baltimore County has had a police department since 1874, when its borders included much of present-day Baltimore City. Today, Chief Jim Johnson oversees the modern police department from its sleek, red and silver Joppa Road headquarters. While police operations in Towson are handled from the Towson precinct office on Chesapeake Avenue, administrative functions of the police and fire departments are housed in the Public Safety Building, which county employees affectionately call "The Crystal Palace" for its reflective exterior.

The headquarters building is only open to those with business there. For police assistance, contact the Towson precinct or call 911 for emergencies.