University Place contracts with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department for police services, and it's referred to as the University Place Police Department.
Dating back to the city's incorporation in 1995, the contracted force has responded to emergencies and crimes. In 2010, Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor appointed Rusty Wilder to be the department's police chief. The department employs 15 deputies. It is housed in the city's Public Safety Building, also home to the University Place Fire Department.