The Van Metre family were first to settle in 1803 .The town was organized in 1857 and is named for the explorer Hernando De Soto, who claimed the Louisiana Territory for Spain. De Soto was the city closest to the mean center of U.S. The city celebrated its Bicentennial in 2003. The city made national news on and after May 6, 2003, when straight line winds/tornado struck. History
Incorporated in
1869, the City of De Soto is a third-class city with a population of 6,375 which utilizes the council-manager form of government. De Soto is located in the southeastern part of Missouri, approximately 45 miles south of St. De Soto is in Jefferson County, which is one of the fastest growing counties in Missouri. De Soto was part of the Louisiana Territory and was transferred from France to Spain and back to France again, and in 1803 was sold to the United States. During that same year, Isaac Van Metre came to the place that was later named De Soto and erected a cabin. A marker now stands to commemorate the first log cabin built in De Soto. Louis Iron Mountain Railroad built a depot. Later named the Missouri Pacific Railroad, it established a major rail car repair facility in De Soto. The city is known as "Fountain City" because of the numerous artesian wells. Water from these wells and springs was bottled and shipped by tank car to the 1904 World Fair in St. The De Soto Police Department employs 15 Full Time Police Officers who have all received a Missouri Class A License to be a Police Officer. Police Officer receive ongoing continuing Education to stay current on best practices and current law. In 2016 Our agency added a mascot. Leo the Safety Pup was purchased with money raised from local businesses in conjunction with the National Child Safety Council. In 2016 Safety but was named by a student at Vineland Elementary and became known as Leo. Our agency prides itself in providing a proactive enforcement strategy to addressing the crime problems in the City. Our officers strive to provide professional service with the highest level of integrity and trust. Community Policing is a priority realizing that creating partnerships with the community we serve only serves to accomplish the overall goal of providing a safe and friendly environment in De Soto for all to live. The Police Chief maintains an open door policy and is available to meet with any community member who seeks to offer suggestions, opinions or general conversation regarding the status of the Police Department and any areas we serve. The Police Department serves over 6400 Citizens and visitors each year and responds to approximately 27000 calls for service which include self initiated activity. Each year in De Soto that are over 100 vehicle accidents, our officers take a proactive approach to traffic enforcement to ensure our roadways stay safe.
