Gaston County Police Department

The Gaston County Police Department is a law enforcement agency of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is the only county police department within the State of North Carolina. The Gaston County Police Department has the primary responsibility for the enforcement of North Carolina state laws and Gaston County ordinances in unincorporated areas of the county. Law enforcement within the incorporated municipalities of Gaston County is generally the primary responsibility of the police departments of the particular municipalities. However, the Gaston County Police Department is also the primary law enforcement agency for the incorporated cities of High Shoals and Spencer Mountain. They are also authorized to respond to calls in all areas of the county. The Gaston County Police Department is a separate agency from the Gaston County Sheriff's Office, which has the responsibilities of managing the county jail, protecting the county courthouse, serving civil and criminal documents, and pursuing and arresting fugitives from legal actions taken through the courts. The Gaston County Police Department employs 137 sworn officers who patrol an area of over with a population of more than 85,000 residents. In addition, the department employs 90 civilians. It has an operating budget of 11.9 million dollars.