In this article, we take a look at the 25 US states with the highest number of police officers per capita. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of the police industry, you can directly go to the 5 States with the Highest Number of Police Officers Per Capita.
Police in Numbers – An Overview
The latest Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics was published in June 2018. As per the report, there were 17,541 state and local law enforcement agencies in the country, a term that collectively refers to the state police, local police, highway patrol, special jurisdiction police, and sheriff’s offices. This number includes all agencies that have at least one full-time equivalent (FTE) sworn officer. A sworn officer refers to an officer of the law with arrest powers, whereas FTE refers to the number of full-time sworn officers plus half of the part-time sworn officers.
Across these 17,000 agencies, 1,214,260 individuals were employed, 64.86% (787,565) of whom were sworn, whereas the rest were civilian employees. There were 372 total police personnel per every 100,000 residents of the US. There was one full-time sworn officer for every 415 residents. From 1996 to 2008, the full-time employment rate in local and state law enforcement agencies increased by 32%, adding 292,000 more officers. In agencies with 24 or fewer FTE sworn officers, the ratio of full-time sworn female personnel was 8%, whereas for agencies with 500 or more FTE sworn officers, it was 15%. Local police departments accounted for 67% of all law enforcement agencies, which added up to 11,824 departments. You can take a look at the 12 Best Prison and Law Enforcement Stocks to Buy Now.
Tech and Trends – Modernizing Law Enforcement
While the demographics of these law enforcement agencies can differ, a similarity across many of them has been the increased focus on the use of technology. The Thomson Reuters Future of Policing survey from March 2023 reported that almost all of the law enforcement respondents it interviewed claimed that investment in new technology was a way to combat the shortage of police workforce. A 2017 study by the Center for Crime and Justice Policy discovered that body-worn cameras led to fewer incidents of use of force and officer complaints. In the experimental group, the percentage of officers with at least one complaint decreased from 54.6% to 38.1%. For the same group, the rate of officers involved in at least one incident of use of force declined from 31.2% to 19.7%.
On the other hand, the percentage of officers with at least one complaint in the control group decreased from 48% to 45.5%. Furthermore, in the same group, the percentage of officers who generated at least one report of use of force increased from 26.3% to 27.3%. The body-worn cameras also lowered the cost spent on investigating misconduct allegations. The average cost of such an investigation was $5,692 without the cameras and $1,686 with the cameras. The average cost of the camera itself ranged from $828 to $1,097, which led to net savings of $2,909 to $3,178 per user per year. Thus, instances of technology have not only increased efficiency for the department but also resulted in reduced costs.
The Companies Making it Happen
In this scenario of the need for technological advancement, companies like Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) play a considerable role. On May 13, 2021, Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) announced the launch of a VR Simulator that could effectively train police officers to deal with individuals in various forms of crisis, such as a person with a hearing impairment. The Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) VR headsets are easy to deploy and come without any extraneous hardware. Both in-person and remote experiences can be utilized, creating a system that does not require a specialized training facility. With a focus on de-escalation, officers can walk through a diverse range of complex issues that they may encounter in the real world, such as instances of familial abuse.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has also played a role in enhancing police access to data. Ring, a video doorbell manufacturer owned by Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), has partnered with more than 2,000 US police and fire departments. Through this partnership, law enforcement officials can request the owners of these Ring cameras to provide them with essential footage that may aid police investigation. In 2020 alone, police officials requested footage for more than 22,335 incidents, as reported by Financial Times back in January 2021. According to Ring data, the officials made around 1,900 requests through subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants, even after homeowners had denied them access to the footage. On January 24, 2024, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced that law enforcement officials can no longer directly ask users for video footage; they can only do so through an official channel, such as a subpoena or search warrant.
Robotic units can also play an essential role in tackling dangerous situations within law enforcement. According to a report by the McKinsey & Well Company, the global market size for security and law enforcement robots was estimated at $3.1 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13% from 2022-2030, reaching $8.2 billion by the end of the projected period. Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions Inc. (OTCMKTS:AITX) owns Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD). In 2023, the Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions Inc. (OTCMKTS:AITX) subsidiary announced that it had started accepting orders for RADDOG 2LE, a robot dog built uniquely for law enforcement. The robotic animal enables police forces to navigate dangerous terrain and access otherwise inaccessible areas.
While these technological breakthroughs can modernize police departments considerably, they do require personnel for effective operation. We have compiled a list of the 25 US states with the highest number of police officers per capita for precisely this purpose. You can also take a look at 13 States with the Most Fatal Accidents in the US and 30 Safest Countries In the World in 2024.
25 US States with the Highest Number of Police Officers Per Capita
Our Methodology
In order to compile this list of the 25 US states with the highest number of police officers per capita, we have utilized the 2018 Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. We shortlisted the 25 countries with the highest number of sworn and civilian personnel per 100,000 individuals in all kinds of state and local law enforcement agencies. The states are arranged in ascending order from least to most police personnel per capita. We have calculated the per capita rate based on personnel per 100,000 individuals. Tie-breaking, wherever required, was done based on the largest number of police agencies. Further information has been added from the respective police force databases. The US Census Bureau is utilized to report state populations.
Note that even though the District of Columbia is not technically a state, we have included it in our list due to its high number of police personnel per capita. Based on this methodology, here are the 25 American states with the highest number of per capita police officers.
25 US States with the Highest Number of Police Officers Per Capita
25. Missouri
Total Agencies: 558
Total Police Personnel: 21,782
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 356
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00356
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Police, 193,260 crime incidents were reported in the state in 2018, most of which (114,657) belonged to the category of theft or larceny. Missouri has a population of 6,196,156, which is being served by 21,782 police personnel.
24. Virginia
Total Agencies: 339
Total Police Personnel: 30,323
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 357
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00357
Virginia has a total population of 8,715,698, with 357 police personnel per 100,000 individuals. This density makes Virginia one of the states with the most police officers per capita in the US.
23. Montana
Total Agencies: 121
Total Police Personnel: 3,855
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 363
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00363
In December 2023, Gallatin County in Montana added a new drone team to its search and rescue operations, as reported by the local news outlet Explore Big Sky. Montana remains one of the US states with the highest number of police officers per capita.
22. Colorado
Total Agencies: 239
Total Police Personnel: 20,804
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 366
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00366
With a total of 20,804 personnel across 239 agencies, Colorado is one of the states with the most police officers per 100,000 residents, which is 366. 13,120 of these are sworn officers, whereas the rest are civilian employees.
21. Arizona
Total Agencies: 131
Total Police Personnel: 26,865
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 375
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00375
A VR training course administered by Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) to officers in Phoenix PD showcased that preparedness increased by 81%, according to a company report. Arizona is one of the many states utilizing VR technologies by the company in order to aid police effectiveness.
20. Illinois
Total Agencies: 846
Total Police Personnel: 48,240
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 379
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00379
Illinois has 379 personnel per 100,000 individuals, making it one of the states with the highest number of police officers. 38,539 employees are full-time sworn officers, while the rest are civilian. The local police departments employ 31,492 out of the total.
19. South Carolina
Total Agencies: 262
Total Police Personnel: 19,361
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 381
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00381
In South Carolina, only 6,395 of the total law enforcement personnel work with the local police department, which is less than half. 7,844 out of the total officers are employed with the sheriffs’ offices.
18. New Mexico
Total Agencies: 140
Total Police Personnel: 8,067
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 385
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00385
New Mexico has 140 state and local law enforcement agencies, out of which 69 are local police departments, 32 are sheriffs’ offices, and the rest belong to other categories of police. The state has a total of 8,067 employees across these 140 agencies.
17. South Dakota
Total Agencies: 145
Total Police Personnel: 3,424
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 390
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00390
South Dakota has a small police force, and yet it is one of the US states with the highest number of police officers per capita, owing to its small population of 895,376. 1,142 of these employees work for the local police departments.
16. Alabama
Total Agencies: 401
Total Police Personnel: 19,156
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 392
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00392
Opelika PD was the first law enforcement agency in Alabama to implement VR training for its officers through Apex Officer, as reported by the latter. The program trains officers on complex real-life scenarios that they could encounter during their jobs.
15. Tennessee
Total Agencies: 363
Total Police Personnel: 26,749
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 395
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00395
Tennessee is one of the US states with the highest number of police officers per capita. Within its total force, 11,754 work with the local police departments, whereas 12,016 work with the sheriffs’ offices.
14. Massachusetts
Total Agencies: 374
Total Police Personnel: 27.489
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 399
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00399
Massachusetts has 374 state and local law enforcement agencies, 325 of which are local police departments, whereas just 14 are sheriffs’ offices. Out of the total, 16,823 are local police personnel, 13,678 of whom are sworn.
13. Florida
Total Agencies: 373
Total Police Personnel: 85,234
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 401
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00401
In November 2023, the Tampa Police Department in Florida paired up with SPIDR Tech to launch a new technology that could give victims of crime real-time updates on the status of their investigation. Like many other states, Florida is implementing technological breakthroughs to advance policing.
12. Georgia
Total Agencies: 608
Total Police Personnel: 42,112
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 401
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00401
Georgia has the same per capita rate of police officers as Florida but almost double the number of law enforcement agencies. 346 of these are departments of the local police, whereas 156 are the sheriffs’ offices.
11. Arkansas
Total Agencies: 364
Total Police Personnel: 12,106
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 402
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00402
Arkansas is one of the American states with the highest rates of police officers per 100,000 individuals, giving it the 11th spot on our list. 7,342 of its total police personnel are full-time sworn officers, whereas the rest are civilian employees.
10. Kansas
Total Agencies: 364
Total Police Personnel: 12,020
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 413
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00413
Kansas has 217 local police departments, which employ a total of 5,448 individuals, 79% of whom are sworn police officers. The state has 106 sheriffs’ offices, collectively employing 4,443 personnel, 52% of whom are sworn officers.
9. Texas
Total Agencies: 1,935
Total Police Personnel: 119,322
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 417
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00417
The state of Texas has the highest number of state and local law enforcement agencies in the entire US and the second-highest number of personnel employed within these agencies. It is also one of the states with a considerable number of police officers per capita.
8. Mississippi
Total Agencies: 351
Total Police Personnel: 12,924
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 434
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00434
Mississippi has 191 local police departments and 82 sheriffs’ offices throughout the state. In its entire workforce of law enforcement, 7,810 individuals are sworn police officers, whereas the rest belong to the civilian category.
7. Maryland
Total Agencies: 138
Total Police Personnel: 27,793
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 460
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00460
Maryland is one of the states with the highest number of police officers per capita. On May 25, 2023, Truleo announced that Elkton PD had become the first police department in the state of Maryland to utilize the company’s body camera data analysis platform, as reported by the Maryland Daily Record.
6. New Jersey
Total Agencies: 507
Total Police Personnel: 43,955
Personnel Per 100,000 Residents: 495
Per Capita Police Officers: 0.00495
New Jersey is 6th on our list of the US states with the highest number of police officers per capita. The state has 43,955 employees in law enforcement, 30,261 of whom are full-time sworn police officers.
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Disclaimer: None. 25 US States with the Highest Number of Police Officers Per Capita is originally published on Insider Monkey.