It was established by the Common Council of Kingston on December 20, 1841, making it one of the oldest police forces in Canada.

Today, the Kingston Police is made up of approximately 300 members serving an area of 451.58 square kilometers and 132,485 (2021 Census) people.

Following World War II, the force finally began growing at a more consistent rate.

In 1993, the Social Contract Act was put in place by the government in an attempt to address budget deficits.

In 1996, the province introduced additional cost-saving initiatives such as the Savings and Restructuring Act, which merged smaller municipalities with their neighbours.