Like the City as a whole, the Ypsilanti Police Department has a history rich in Pride, Diversity, and Heritage that can be traced back as early as 1825, when the first settler, Benjamin Woodruff, became sheriff. Four years later, the job of constable became part of the general elections.
Despite the presence of law enforcement personnel at the time, in approximately 1828 ‘The Ypsilanti Vigilance Committee’ was organized. Its activities were rather guarded and secret, but what is known is that over 50 men participated in battling against the rash of lawlessness that plagued the area at the time. The committee was disbanded by 1829. The first speed limit was established in 1834.