It was created on January 1, 2007, by consolidating the Indianapolis Police Department and the road division of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

At the time of its formation, the IMPD was headed by the elected sheriff of Marion County, Frank J. Anderson.

However, on February 29, 2008, the department came under the control of the mayor of Indianapolis, Greg Ballard, after Ballard and Anderson reached a resolution for the transfer of power and the City-County Council passed Proposal 6 effecting the change.

The mayor appoints the Chief of Police to administer the daily operations of the department.

[5] The rank structure of the department is as follows:[6] Since its creation, four Indianapolis Metropolitan police officers have been killed in the line of duty.