In 1819, Timothy S. Hopkins was elected the first supervisor for the Town of Amherst. He appointed two Constables, Joseph Hershey and Palmer Cleveland, These two men patrolled the present boundaries of Amherst as well as portions of Cheektowaga, By 1883, the number of the Town Constables had been increased to five.
The Village of Williamsville was served by Town Constables until it was incorporated in 1850. Early records show that no Constables appeared on the election ballots until late in the 19th century.In 1920, the Town and Village began the practice of hiring special police officers. In 1924, the Town of Amherst Police and the Village of Williamsville Police merged.
The success of our mission has always been dependent on the public's willingness to become involved. Our officers, despite being highly trained and motivated, still need your assistance. If you have information which you feel may pertain to a crime or other public safety issue, we urge you to report it. You can do this either by directly calling the department's main phones or by utilizing one of the tip lines listed below. Often a seemingly unimportant or minor piece of information can solve a crime, or save a life.