diff --git a/moto/ecs/models.py b/moto/ecs/models.py
index e0efb341..ad09dcef 100644
--- a/moto/ecs/models.py
+++ b/moto/ecs/models.py
@@ -1147,14 +1147,14 @@ class EC2ContainerServiceBackend(BaseBackend):
         else:
             raise ServiceNotFoundException
 
-    def delete_service(self, cluster_name, service_name):
+    def delete_service(self, cluster_name, service_name, force):
         cluster_service_pair = "{0}:{1}".format(cluster_name, service_name)
         if cluster_name not in self.clusters:
             raise ClusterNotFoundException
 
         if cluster_service_pair in self.services:
             service = self.services[cluster_service_pair]
-            if service.desired_count > 0:
+            if service.desired_count > 0 and not force:
                 raise InvalidParameterException(
                     "The service cannot be stopped while it is scaled above 0."
                 )
diff --git a/moto/ecs/responses.py b/moto/ecs/responses.py
index 9e6cb182..9263d207 100644
--- a/moto/ecs/responses.py
+++ b/moto/ecs/responses.py
@@ -226,7 +226,8 @@ class EC2ContainerServiceResponse(BaseResponse):
     def delete_service(self):
         service_name = self._get_param("service")
         cluster_name = self._get_param("cluster", "default")
-        service = self.ecs_backend.delete_service(cluster_name, service_name)
+        force = self._get_param("force", False)
+        service = self.ecs_backend.delete_service(cluster_name, service_name, force)
         return json.dumps({"service": service.response_object})
 
     def register_container_instance(self):
diff --git a/tests/test_ecs/test_ecs_boto3.py b/tests/test_ecs/test_ecs_boto3.py
index 941664cc..3556c96e 100644
--- a/tests/test_ecs/test_ecs_boto3.py
+++ b/tests/test_ecs/test_ecs_boto3.py
@@ -890,6 +890,53 @@ def test_delete_service():
     )
 
 
+@mock_ecs
+def test_delete_service_force():
+    client = boto3.client("ecs", region_name="us-east-1")
+    _ = client.create_cluster(clusterName="test_ecs_cluster")
+    _ = client.register_task_definition(
+        family="test_ecs_task",
+        containerDefinitions=[
+            {
+                "name": "hello_world",
+                "image": "docker/hello-world:latest",
+                "cpu": 1024,
+                "memory": 400,
+                "essential": True,
+                "environment": [
+                    {"name": "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID", "value": "SOME_ACCESS_KEY"}
+                ],
+                "logConfiguration": {"logDriver": "json-file"},
+            }
+        ],
+    )
+    _ = client.create_service(
+        cluster="test_ecs_cluster",
+        serviceName="test_ecs_service",
+        taskDefinition="test_ecs_task",
+        desiredCount=2,
+    )
+    response = client.delete_service(
+        cluster="test_ecs_cluster", service="test_ecs_service", force=True
+    )
+    response["service"]["clusterArn"].should.equal(
+        "arn:aws:ecs:us-east-1:012345678910:cluster/test_ecs_cluster"
+    )
+    len(response["service"]["events"]).should.equal(0)
+    len(response["service"]["loadBalancers"]).should.equal(0)
+    response["service"]["pendingCount"].should.equal(0)
+    response["service"]["runningCount"].should.equal(0)
+    response["service"]["serviceArn"].should.equal(
+        "arn:aws:ecs:us-east-1:012345678910:service/test_ecs_service"
+    )
+    response["service"]["serviceName"].should.equal("test_ecs_service")
+    response["service"]["status"].should.equal("ACTIVE")
+    response["service"]["schedulingStrategy"].should.equal("REPLICA")
+    response["service"]["taskDefinition"].should.equal(
+        "arn:aws:ecs:us-east-1:012345678910:task-definition/test_ecs_task:1"
+    )
+
+
 @mock_ecs
 def test_delete_service_exceptions():
     client = boto3.client("ecs", region_name="us-east-1")