The OPS employs 1,480 officers and 620 staff as of 2022, and serves an area of 2,790 square kilometres and 1,017,449 (2021 census) people, alongside several other police forces which have specialized jurisdiction.

[2] Early law enforcement in Ottawa was reportedly difficult: constables often dealt with rampant public intoxication and alcohol abuse; instead of a proper salary, constables were paid $1 for each apprehension and call response; and political influence frequently interfered with the Peelian principles the police were meant to follow.

Other municipalities with close ties to Ottawa—namely Cumberland, Kanata, Manotick, Rockcliffe Park, and West Carleton Township—had their own Ontario Provincial Police detachments as well.

[2] However, the new service was immediately plagued by major controversies, severe dysfunction, and poor morale: the Ottawa Citizen reported in May 1995 that in the span of just 18 weeks, Regional Chief Brian Ford was accused of misusing sick leave funds; Jamaican Canadian activist Ralph Kirkland accused the OCRPS of racism over a minor arrest, prompting "secret negotiations" to drop the charges; a judge deemed a weapons arrest by two constables illegal and accused them of police brutality; Wayne Johnson, a Black Canadian, drowned in the Rideau River while fleeing constables in controversial circumstances, which led to one investigated constable committing suicide due to a lack of support; two constables were shot and wounded responding to a robbery, which was blamed on outdated service weapons and low manpower; and eight homicides had already occurred (the same amount for all of 1994), with one victim having called the police three times with no response before she was killed.

[6] The Neighbourhood Resource Team (NRT) program was created to deploy frontline constables into high-crime and high-traffic areas.

Frontline OPS constables are expected to prioritize community interaction, which is a different approach from traditional law enforcement.

To have become a senior constable, an officer had to have had ten years service and have successfully completed the sergeant's promotional exam.

A 1st class constable has a base salary pretax of approximately $96,000, not including overtime and off-duty court time.

The OPS also maintains a Ceremonial Guard to attend the many community events and parades that occur in Ottawa as a representative of the police service,[10] and the Ottawa Police Service Pipe Band, which competes every season in the Ontario pipe band circuit, most notably finishing as Ontario Championship Supreme in grade 2 in 2012.

The RCMP generally do not play a role in municipal police operations in Ottawa, with the exception of federal land managed by the National Capital Commission.

In April 2007, the Ottawa Police Services Board granted special constable status to transit law enforcement officers employed by OC Transpo.

In the same way, some of the safety personnel of Carleton University are sworn as special constables and hold limited police powers on campus grounds.

The OPS has one fixed wing aircraft, a Cessna 206[19] and various marine vehicles that patrol Ottawa waterways in the summer.

On March 20, 1995, Wayne Johnson, a Black Canadian, drowned in the Rideau River after being pepper sprayed by pursuing OCRPS constables.

Police spokesman Dave Pepper denied the claims and, in reference to that and other issues plaguing the OCRPS at the time, considered it bad luck.