In this article, we take a look at the 20 largest police departments in the US. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of the police industry, you can directly go to the 5 Largest Police Departments in the US.
Police Numbers in the US
According to a 2018 report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, local police departments in the US employed 601,011 full-time employees, 77.5% of whom were sworn personnel, whereas the rest were civilian employees. Together, these half a million individuals worked for 11,824 local police agencies nationwide. The highest number of police personnel were employed by the state of New York (79,689), followed by California (54,295) and Texas (49,961). On the other hand, Vermont had the least number of employees in local police departments, only 833. As for the number of local police departments, Pennsylvania had the highest, 896. The state of Hawaii was the least prolific, with only four local police departments in the entire state. There were a total of 18 police departments that served populations of one million or higher, and collectively, they employed 21% or one-fifth of the full-time sworn officers in local police departments.
The Shortage Crisis
According to the BJS, in 2018, the US had 241 full-time sworn officers per 100,000 residents, a number which was 251 in 2008. In 2018, the Washington Post reported a decline in applications for police jobs. In the state of Seattle alone, job applications had declined by 50%. A 2023 PERF survey report stated that while police departments were hiring more police officers than in previous years, they were losing employees faster than new ones could be recruited. In 2022, police agencies received almost 50% more resignations than they did in 2019, whereas retirement numbers were 20% higher than they were in 2019. Thus, overall, sworn staffing dropped by 5% in the past three years. You can take a look at the 20 Safest Places To Retire in the US for some post-retirement insights.
As a result of the decreased numbers, police departments are facing what the Justice Department has referred to as a ‘historic’ staffing crisis, as reported by USA Today, back in October 2023. As a result, 30 law enforcement and community leaders drew up a report on recommendations to improve hiring numbers. One of the recommendations included modernizing eligibility requirements; for example, stringent checking on the physical standards required of an officer could be postponed till completion of training at the police academy. Recommendations were also given regarding introducing new incentives such as retention bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and elimination of caps on pension and overtime pay. According to USA Today, police protests during the Coronavirus pandemic were one of the biggest reasons why numbers in the police force were dwindling.
The Savior - Technological Advancements
As police numbers continue to drop, advanced technological tools can bring increased efficiency to police workflows. According to a report by Thomson Reuters, technology can be one of the ways in which the police can cope with its worsening shortage crisis. Out of all the respondents that the report surveyed, one-third said that keeping up to date with technology was one of the top three concerns within their department. The report also mentioned that departments that struggled with increased crime rates made it a higher priority to invest in law enforcement technologies. You can look at the 30 Safest Countries In the World in 2024or the 17 Safest Places to Retire Abroad for Less Than $3,000 a Month.
Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) is a major enterprise that provides law enforcement tools such as in-car video systems, on-body cameras, tasers, and computer-aided dispatch systems. The Reuters report indicated that 58% of the technological tools purchased by law enforcement agencies are on-body or in-car cameras, which makes companies like Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) extremely essential to the police department. On March 5, 2024, Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) reported that its TASER 10 won the 2023 Good Design Award in the ‘Safety and Security’ category. The taser has a range of nearly 45 feet, almost double that of the previous versions. Even though the taser is the same size as the TASER 7, its predecessor, it features ten cartridges compared to the former’s two.
SoundThinking, Inc. (NASDAQ:SSTI) is another law enforcement technology company known for its gunshot detection system, the ShotSpotter. The system uses acoustic sensors to detect and locate gunshot sounds accurately. Thus, SoundThinking, Inc. (NASDAQ:SSTI) enables quicker response to gunshots, many of which might not have been reported conventionally. SoundThinking, Inc. (NASDAQ:SSTI) also offers the Crimetracer, a search engine and advanced analytics tool that allows police agencies to search over 1.3 billion records, enabling data-sharing and accelerating the time required for investigations.
Verint Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:VRNT) offers technology for emergency response. The Verint Recording for Public Safety is a multichannel recording and archiving solution that enables capturing communications across multiple channels on a single recorder. Verint Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:VRNT) particularly designed the system for emergency responders and control rooms. The Insight Center within the Verint Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:VRNT) public safety software can simultaneously display data from multiple channels, offering a unified view of the communication. This can enable responders to reconstruct the chain of events rapidly and accurately.
As police departments across the US grapple with balancing out workforce shortages and upgrading their technological tools, some police departments are still functioning with a huge number of employees. Here are the 20 largest police departments in the US.
20 Largest Police Departments in the US
20 Largest Police Departments in the US
Our Methodology
In order to compile this list of the 20 largest police departments in the US, we utilized the Local Police Departments’ Personnel Report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. We have shortlisted 20 police departments with the highest number of full-time sworn officers in 2016. The data is slightly dated, but it is the latest consolidated update available for perusal on this matter. Further information for each department has been added from its respective official website. The departments are organized in ascending order from smallest to largest based on personnel strength. Based on this methodology, here are the 20 largest police departments in the US.
20 Largest Police Departments in the US
20. Milwaukee (WI) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 1,879
Population Served: 595,047
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 32
According to the Milwaukee police department, its workforce decreased by 19% between the years of 2000 to 2022. On the other hand, calls for police service increased 10% from 2017 to 2021. Pairing an increased number of calls with decreased strength, the police response time increased. However, the Milwaukee police department is still one of the largest in the country.
19. Honolulu (HI) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 1,962
Population Served: 992,605
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 20
The Honolulu police department received around 541 cases of violent crime within the first three months of 2024, the highest number of which belonged to the category of aggravated assault (43.1%). On the other hand, the department received 5,391 cases of property crimes, 59.8% of which were instances of larceny or theft.
18. Memphis (TN) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,012
Population Served: 652,717
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 31
The Memphis police department is one of the oldest as well as the largest police departments in the US, having been formed in 1827. The department offers starting pay of $54,611 with benefits, which can grow to $72,008 after three years.
17. Boston (MA) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,099
Population Served: 673,184
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 31
Boston PD has been employing the SoundThinking, Inc. (NASDAQ:SSTI) ShotSpotter technology since 2007. The program allows the department to receive gunshot notifications with or without a 911 report call. On average, the notifications are received 1-2 minutes before the emergency calls. Boston PD is also one of the US’ largest police departments.
16. San Antonio (TX) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,244
Population Served: 1,492,510
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 15
Even though the San Antonio police department is one of the largest in the country, San Antonio is also one of the biggest cities in the US. Thus, when its police personnel are compared with the population, it has the lowest rate of police officers per 10,000 residents on this list.
15. Detroit (MI) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,250
Population Served: 672,795
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 33
The Detroit police department runs a community violence intervention program called ‘ShotStoppers,’ which equips community partners with the tools to stop shootings. A report released by the department on March 12, 2024, showed that two of these groups had achieved a reduction of 72% and 48%, respectively, in homicides and non-fatal shootings.
14. San Francisco (CA) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,356
Population Served: 870,887
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 27
The San Francisco police department has 27 police officers per 10,000 residents, and it is one of the largest police departments in the US. The SFPD has been implementing a comprehensive reform program since 2016 in partnership with the California Department of Justice and Hillard Heintze, a change management consultancy.
13. Suffolk County (NY) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,385
Population Served: 1,320,309
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 18
The Suffolk County police department also has a low number of personnel per 10,000 residents, but it is still one of the 20 largest police departments in the US based on employee strength. In total, the Suffolk County police department has seven precincts and four special patrol units.
12. Nassau County (NY) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,462
Population Served: 1,065,674
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 23
The Nassau County police department is one of America’s largest police departments and offers an average compensation of $141,108 after 11 years of service. The NCPD currently has eight precincts in service.
11. Baltimore (MD) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,524
Population Served: 614,664
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 41
The Baltimore PD runs a community service initiative, CitiWatch, through which small-business owners and other city residents can share essential video footage with the police department. According to the department, not only does this save time and resources for the institution, but it also deters crime in the locality.
10. Las Vegas (NV) Metropolitan Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,566
Population Served: 1,592,178
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 16
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has adopted the nationwide community engagement program known as ‘Rebuilding Every City Around Peace (RECAP).’ The program aims to facilitate resource sharing so the police department can be better equipped to fight crime.
9. Phoenix (AZ) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,689
Population Served: 1,615,017
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 17
The Phoenix police department has run a ‘Citizen Police Academy’ since 1986, which aims to enable general citizens to learn more about the department’s functioning. The department has completed 91 academies up till now, where citizens have delved into topics such as tactical training, 911 communication, and equipment displays.
8. Miami-Dade (FL) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 2,723
Population Served: 1,345,983
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 20
The Miami-Dade police department is one of the largest in the US and has several programs where community members can engage with law enforcement. They can do this by volunteering, being a police reserve, or joining the citizen advisory committee.
7. Dallas (TX) Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 3,408
Population Served: 1,317,929
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 26
The Dallas PD was formed in 1881 and operates seven stations today. According to the department itself, it employs 556 civilian employees in addition to its sworn personnel. It is one of the largest police departments in the US in terms of personnel strength.
6. Washington (DC) Metropolitan Police
Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 3,712
Population Served: 681,170
Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 54
The Washington DC Metropolitan Police has the highest number of sworn personnel per 10,000 residents in the entire country. This is why it’s also one of the largest police departments in the US and ranks number six on our list according to personnel strength.