Toronto Police Service in 1834 when the city of Toronto was first created from the town of York. (Prior to that, local able-bodied male citizens were required to report for night duty as special constables for a fixed number of nights a year on the pain of fine or imprisonment in a system known as "watch and ward". The Toronto Police is one of the English-speaking world's oldest modern municipal police departments; older than, for example, the New York City Police Department which was formed in 1845 or the Boston Police Department which was established in 1839. The London Metropolitan Police of 1829
Toronto Police Service when the Toronto Police Department was amalgamated with 12 other Toronto-area forces to form the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force. Most chiefs have been chosen amongst the ranks of Toronto force and promoted/appointed from the ranks of deputy chief; Fantino was hired away from the York Regional Police, but he had been a career officer with Metro Toronto Police leaving as Acting Staff Superintendent. Toronto Police Department (1834–1956): High Constables Chief Constables Metropolitan Toronto Police (1957–1995), Metropolitan Toronto Police Service (1995–1998), Toronto Police Service (1998–present) Chiefs of Police: As an agency of the City of Toronto, the Toronto Police Service's annual