Over the next 18 years the City Marshall's duties and responsibilities were expanded to include summoning members of patrol by midnight along with examining and recording marks and brands on butchered cattle.

The officer assigned to the position used the Bertillion System of identification, which preceded the fingerprint method used today in law enforcement.

The Bertillion System used a process of measuring body parts such as the nose, eyes and hands along with other characteristics to identify individuals.

On November 30, 1935, six members of the Modern Democrats,[3] a local Socialist affiliated political party, were arrested by Tampa Police in a warrant-less raid on one of their meetings and taken to the station.

None of them were charged with any crime, however, three of them, Joseph Shoemaker, Eugene Poulnot, and Sam Rogers, were kidnapped by masked Klansmen as they left the police station.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff in cooperation with the state attorney mounted an investigation, eventually concluding that the attack was orchestrated by city employees and the Tampa Police.

A college training program was instituted that year with participating officers being given special consideration pertaining to work hours and finances.

The Police Athletic League was officially organized and one officer was assigned to it full-time to provide special activities for Tampa's youth.

In 1962 the Criminal Intelligence Unit was organized and became responsible for developing and disseminating available information to officers through special files and investigations.

1969 brought another revolutionary advent of law enforcement to the department with the purchase of two Hughes 300 helicopters to complement the two fixed-wing aircraft already in operation.

Also that year, the first Hazardous Device Technician was trained in handling explosives at the US Army Redstone Arsenal base in Huntsville, Alabama.

In 1972 the prisoner booking function, still conducted in the police headquarters building, was transferred to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office personnel.

In September 1975, the department embarked on a new era in community relations and crime prevention by creating the School Resource Officer program.

The philosophies were to reduce maintenance on the cars, eliminate staggered reporting times, free space being used for lockers and promote safety through higher visibility of units in the neighborhoods the officers lived.

The object was to provide better supervision, establish clear chains of command and promote the neighborhood policing concept.

In response to the increased number of street level narcotics dealers in Tampa, a unit was developed to address the problem.

A new Mounted Unit for horse patrol was created to address the rising need in congestion during special events and the Ybor City entertainment district of Tampa.

The officers would respond to neighborhood problems as their primary responsibility and build relationships with the residents to better understand and address their needs.

Another development enjoyed by officers was the reinstatement of the take-home car program, which had been abolished nearly ten years earlier.

In 1998 the transition to decentralization took another large step with officers from district II moving into their new station in North Tampa near Busch Gardens.

That year the department's helicopters were equipped with GyroCam camera systems that allowed video downlinking and recording.

Their functions include assisting detectives in follow up on latent robbery, burglary and auto theft related crimes.

They develop and oversee Neighborhood Watch groups that are partnerships between the community and police department, composed of volunteer citizens, working together to reduce crime.

Officers are currently issued the SIG Sauer P320 in 9mm which replaced the Smith & Wesson M&P .40 S&W pistols which were chambered for back in 2018.

[7] TPD officers also have a small supply of AR-15 5.56×45mm rifles while on duty in case a situation requires more firepower than a sidearm.

[8] Tampa Police SWAT officers carry the SIG Sauer P226 9mm as their sidearm however following the department's switch to the P320 it is also being considered to replace the P226 pistols used.

Critics of the nomination pointed to O'Connor's past felony arrest for battery on a law enforcement officer.

Members of the Tampa City Council opposed O'Connor's nomination before she was ultimately confirmed as Chief of Police.

In an article entitled "Tampa Police Department’s worst moments of 2022" reporters documented a year where Tampa Police officers were discovered to have shot a dog and made jokes about it, used "geofencing" to investigate crimes- a tactic that some critics say is unconstitutional, and the department's “crime-free multi housing” program was under federal investigation.

The Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers highlighted Robert DuBoise's story and exoneration.