Established in 1995, the agency aims with objectives of maintaining or safeguarding the public security, human and democratic rights, and respecting constitutional law.

Modern police force dates back in 1913 during Emperor Menelik II reign, which were colloquially called "Yeketema Zebegna" (City's Guard).

720/2011, the Constitution guarantees the commission to work as autonomous federal organ having its own legal personality, which is accountable to Ministry of Peace.

Its objectives is to guard and admit prisoners and provide reformative and rehabilitative service in order to alter to good behavior and restore into law complying person.

It then reinforced by the Federal Police Officers Administration Regulation of 2012 requiring to respect international human rights instruments by placing restriction over use of force, coercion and sexually motivated abuse that are considered grave disciplinary offenses.

On 26 August 2019, a video showing handcuffed man was beaten by two police officers in Addis Ababa teased in Twitter, which induced outrage.

The band consists of twenty members of the police force, many of whom play brass, woodwind, and percussion music instruments while the trumpet instructs them.