The Milwaukee Police Historical Society

The Milwaukee Police Historical Society is a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization dedicated to preserving the Milwaukee Police Department’s long and unique history, as well as to honoring and remembering the many selfless officers who served the Department and the citizens of the City of Milwaukee. The society is collecting items that document the history of policing and law enforcement in the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to educate the public through research, interpretation and display of items from its collections, interactive exhibits, digital media sources, and educational opportunities.

The society was officially chartered in 1996, but got its start in the 1980s when a few officers at the police academy began preserving items of historical value. Prior to this, much of the written history of the department had been lost, along with uniforms, badges and equipment. With a renewed commitment to documenting the history of the department, officers have been archiving, collecting and restoring as much memorabilia as possible.

The Milwaukee Police Historical Society has a world-class collection of police artifacts (uniforms garments, firearms, badges, photos, and various equipment pieces) from the Milwaukee Police Department’s proud history. Many of those artifacts are on display at the Milwaukee Police Academy, 6680 North Teutonia Avenue, Milwaukee, WI. The public is invited to view our collection Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the academy’s normal business hours.

The Milwaukee Police Historical Society is constantly looking for items of historical interest to the police department to add to our collection of artifacts. If you any have item related to the Milwaukee Police Department and are willing to donate.