On re-organisation of States on linguistic basis on 01/11/1956,Kasaragode Taluk coming under South Canara district, Mysore state was merged with Malabar district having the boundary from Olavara, Payyannur in the north to Iringalakkuda in the South. On 01/01/1957 Kannur district consisting of Kasaragode, Taliparamba, Kannur, Thalassery, North Wayanad and South Wayanad Taluk was formed. On 15/01/1957 South Wayanad Taluk was merged with Kozhikode district. On, 01/11/1980 North Wayanad in Kannur district and South Wayanad in Kozhikode district were merged and Wayanad district was formed with headquarter at Kalpetta. On 24/05/1984, Kasaragode Taluk was detached from Kannur district and made the 14th district in Kerala. Now Kannur district has an area of 2996 Sq. KMs with boundaries, Chandera and Cheemeni Police Station limit in north, Mahe, Wayanad and Kozhikode Rural in the south, Coorg in east and Arabian Sea in the west. The district has 87 KMs of seashore and 7 rivers. There are five Taluks Viz.. Kannur, Thalassery, Iritty,Taliparamba and Payyannur consisting of One Municipal Corporation 132 Villages, 9 Municipalities, 71 Grama Panchayaths and 11Block Panchayaths.

The Kannur City Police District came into existence vide GO(MS)No.32/2011 dated 05/02/2011, on 3/March/2011.
After the bifrication ,erstwhile Kannur District Police has been divided into Kannur city and Kannur Rural. There are 3 Subdivisions and 24 Police stations in Kannur City Police District .