The other neighbouring forces are Cumbria Constabulary to the west and North Yorkshire Police to the south.

[3] As a result of the Local Government Act 1972, the northern area of the force including Gateshead, Sunderland and South Shields became part of the Northumbria Police area, whilst Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees in the south-east became part of the jurisdiction of Cleveland Constabulary in 1974.

[13] The force operates through a number of functional commands: Neighbourhood And Safeguarding, Response Policing, Crime and Criminal Justice, Tasking and Co-ordination and Support Services, which all report to the Executive Team.

In May 2021 the Chief Constable of Cleveland Police gave notice that they would be withdrawing from the CDSOU.

Since 2022 Clevaland and Durham have operated separate Road Policing and Armed provisions but kept a joint training facility.