Local Police Departments, 2013: Personnel, Policies, and Practices

• NCJ Number: 248677
• Author(s): Brian A. Reaves, Ph.D., Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Date Published: May 2015
• Publication Series: Local Police Departments
• Agencies: BJS
• Publication Type: Publication

Annotation

Presents findings on local police departments by population served in 2013, including comparisons with previous surveys dating back to 1987.

Abstract

Presents findings on local police departments by population served in 2013, including comparisons with previous surveys dating back to 1987. The report examines trends in the composition of local police officers by sex, race, and ethnicity. Data on the representation of female officers in local police supervisory positions are presented for the first time. It also covers the use of community policing strategies, specialized units, and task forces to address crime-related problems. Data are from the 2013 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey.

Highlights

• Local police departments employed about 477,000 full-time sworn personnel in 2013, 35% more than in 1987.
• About half (48%) of departments employed fewer than 10 officers.
• More than half (54%) of local police officers were employed in jurisdictions with 100,000 or more residents.
• About 1 in 8 local police officers were female, including about 1 in 10 first-line supervisors.
• About 27% of local police officers were members of a racial or ethnic minority, compared to 15% in 1987.