Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2018 – Statistical Tables

• NCJ Number: 302187
• Author(s): Andrea M. Gardner; Kevin M. Scott, Ph.D., BJS Statistician
• Date Published: October 2022
• Publication Series: Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies
• Publication Type: Publication

Description

This report presents data on law enforcement agencies that employ at least one full-time equivalent sworn officer with general arrest powers and are operated by state and local governments. The report provides the number of law enforcement officers and the size of the populations they serve. It also describes tribal police departments, sheriffs’ offices, and law enforcement agencies with special jurisdictions.

Highlights

• In June 2018, a total of 17,541 state and local agencies performed law enforcement functions in the United States and employed 1,214,000 full-time sworn and civilian personnel, an increase of about 80,000 (up 7%) since 2008.
• Local police departments accounted for 67% of state and local law enforcement agencies in 2018; sheriffs’ offices accounted for 17%; and primary state, tribal, and special jurisdiction agencies, constables, and marshals accounted for 15%.
• In 2018, local police departments employed more than half (59%) of state and local full-time sworn personnel, while sheriffs’ offices employed about a quarter (24%).
• From 2008 to 2018, the number of full-time sworn and civilian personnel employed by special jurisdiction agencies increased by 42,000 (up 46%).