The City's first charter established the Marshall as the local peace officer. In 1883 the position of Chief of Police was established. The City Charter of 1890 created the Board of Police Commissioners, which administered the Department and appointed officers. Following allegations of corruption, the Commission was abolished by the new Charter of 1896. In 1962, the Department assumed authority for policing the harborfront, formerly a function of the Harbor Department.

Seattle's first police matron, Emma Taylor, was appointed in 1893 after the passage of a Washington law requiring cities with a population of more than 10,000 to hire a police matron. The matron would deal with all women and girls in police custody. In 1915, the position of Woman Superintendent was created in the Protective Division of the Police Department.

In 1933, a Women's Division was created in the Police Department; it was responsible for investigating "criminal exploitation of women and children" and assisting in the prosecution of sex offenses. To this end, female officers investigated public establishments including hotels, restaurants, dance halls, and skating rinks. The Division was also responsible for assisting lost or runaway children and delinquent minors. A female Superintendent headed the Women's Division, and all female officers and matrons were transferred to the new division. A 1934 ordinance expanded the duties of the Division; women officers were to "investigate...complaints of neighborhood disagreements" and patrol "hotels, rooming houses, public dance halls, restaurants, cabarets, skating rinks, theatres, pool halls, places where alcoholic beverages are dispensed" and other public establishments.