The Waterloo Regional Police Service was established in 1973 following the amalgamation of communities in Waterloo County.
Prior to the amalgamation, the County of Waterloo was patrolled by a number of different police forces. The Cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Galt; Towns of Preston, Hespeler, Elmira and New Hamburg; the Village of Bridgeport and Waterloo Township all had their own police force. The Townships of Woolwich, Wellesley, Wilmot and North Dumfries were patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police.
