Metropolitan police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force. They provide all general police services and tend to be headed by a chief called a Commissioner.

The notion of metropolitan police for the mega cities was launched, long since alongside the policing system. The metropolitan special police inaugurated during the Maurya dynasty is the pioneer of the modern metropolitan police.

During the Maurya dynasty, peacekeeping force used to be deployed in the Capital and big cities named “Monouatra”. The interpretation as to how to maintain the law & order situation of the big cities. Sited in the accident “Kowtolio Arthoshashtro” is the predecessor of the modern metropolitan policing system.

Sir Robert Peel established the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1812, and it had proved to be a great success. It became obvious that something similar to the Irish force was needed in London , so in 1829 the Metropolitan Police Act was passed which provided permanently appointed and paid Constables.

In 1861, imitating the Moguls system, the city Chowkider was organized and rendered into metropolitan police. The then presidency cities like Kolkata, Bombay , Madras and Rangoon also had their own police, which were different from normal police in terms of organogram and nature of activities.

Likely, after the liberation of Bangladesh, in the face of burgeoning population and increasingly sophisticated crimes, terror tactics and unpredictable pattern of crime scenario, ‘ Chittagong Metropolitan Police' commenced its activities on November 30, 1978 with a view to curbing the rampant crimes in this commercial and industrial city.

CMP is one of the largest units in Bangladesh Police. Around 4,884 police officers are serving here.