Bureau of Justice Statistics

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

 

Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

 

In 2003 about 90% of sheriffs’ offices in large jurisdictions

had a written terrorist attack plan 

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent of agencies with

written terrorism plan

Population served

Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics
U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20531

Alberto R. Gonzales

Attorney General

 

Office of Justice Programs

Partnerships for Safer Communities

Regina B. Schofield

Assistant Attorney General

World Wide Web site:

http//www.ojp.usdoj.gov

 

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Jeffrey L. Sedgwick

 Director

World Wide Web site:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs

 

For information contact

National Criminal Justice Reference Service

1-800-851-3420
Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Matthew J. Hickman, Ph.D.

and Brian A. Reaves, Ph.D. 

BJS Statisticians

May 2006, NCJ 211361
U.S. Department of Justice

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Jeffrey L. Sedgwick

Director

Matthew J. Hickman and Brian A.

Reaves prepared this report. Carolyn.

C. Williams provided editorial review. 

The Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services (COPS) provided

partial funding for the 2003 LEMAS

survey. Debra Cohen and Matthew

Scheider of the COPS office assisted

with questionnaire development. More

information on the COPS office can 

be obtained at their website

<www.cops.usdoj.gov>.

Data were collected and processed by

the Police Executive Research Forum

(PERF) under the supervision of Lorie

Fridell. PERF project staff included

Bruce Kubu and Nathan Ballard.

Additional information on PERF is

available on the Internet at:

<http://www.policeforum.org>.

Data presented in this report may be

obtained from the National Archive of

Criminal Justice Data at the University

of Michigan, 1-800-999-0960. The

report and data are available on the

Internet at: <www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs>.

Highlights iii

The LEMAS survey 1

Personnel 1

Budget and pay 10

 Operations 13

Community policing 19

Policies and procedures 23

Equipment 25

Computers and information systems 30

Methodology 35

ii Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003
Personnel

• As of June 2003 sheriffs' offices had

about 330,000 full-time employees,

including about 174,000 sworn personnel. This represented an increase of

about 9,500 sworn and 26,900

nonsworn employees since 2000.

• Racial and ethnic minorities comprised 18.8% of full-time sworn personnel in 2003, up from 13.4% in 1987.

Women were 12.9% of officers in 2003,

about the same as in 1987 (12.6%).

• From 2000 to 2003 the number of

black or African American officers

increased by 1,990, or 13%; Hispanic

or Latino officers by 1,960, or 20%;

officers from other minority groups by

500, or 20%, and female officers by

960, or 5%. 

• Sixty-nine percent of sheriffs' offices

had officer separations during the

12-month period ending June 30, 2003.

Overall, about 13,500 officers

separated, including 7,900 resignations, 2,700 retirements, and 1,200

dismissals.

• Seventy-one percent of sheriffs'

offices hired new officers during the

12-month period ending June 30,

2003. Overall, about 13,900 officers

were hired, including 11,300 entry-level

hires, and 2,200 lateral transfers/hires.

• During the 12-month period ending

June 30, 2003, 31% of sheriffs' offices

had full-time sworn personnel called-up

as full-time military reservists. Overall,

about 2,800 officers were called up.

Budget and pay

• Sheriffs' offices had total operating

budgets of $22.3 billion during fiscal

2003, 18% more than in 2000 after

adjusting for inflation. Expenditures in

2003 averaged $124,400 per officer,

and $82 per resident.

• In 2003 starting salaries for entry-level

deputies ranged from an average of

about $23,300 in the smallest jurisdictions to about $38,800 in the largest.

Operations

• A quarter of sheriffs' offices, including

more than half of those serving 1

million or more residents, used foot

patrol routinely. An estimated 10%,

including nearly two-thirds of those

serving 1 million or more residents,

used bicycle patrol on a regular basis.

• In 2003, 94% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 93% of all officers, participated in a 9-1-1 emergency system

compared to 28% and 53% in 1987. 

In 2003, 71% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 83% of all officers, had

enhanced 9-1-1, compared to 8% and

23% in 1987.

• Thirty-six percent of sheriffs' offices

had officers assigned full time to a

special unit for drug enforcement, with

about 4,000 officers assigned nationwide. Nearly half of sheriffs' offices had

officers assigned to a multi-agency

drug task force, with about 3,500

officers assigned full time nationwide.

• Ninety-eight percent of sheriffs'

offices were responsible for serving

civil process, 94% for providing court

security, and 76% for operating a jail.

• Fifty-two percent of sheriffs' offices

had drug asset forfeiture receipts

during 2002, including more than 80%

of those serving 500,000 or more

residents. Nationwide, receipts totaled

about $178 million, or $992 per officer.

Community policing

• Ten percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 31% of all officers,

maintained or created a written community policing plan during the 12-month

period ending June 30, 2003. 

• Nearly 3 in 10 sheriffs' offices,

employing 55% of all officers, had a

mission statement that included some

aspect of community policing.

• Fifty-one percent of all sheriffs'

offices, employing 70% of all officers,

used full-time community policing

officers during 2003. Overall, 14,900

officers were so designated.

• Twenty-seven percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 51% of all officers,

trained all new officer recruits in

community policing. This included

more than half of sheriffs' offices

serving 500,000 or more residents. 

• About sixty percent of sheriffs' offices,

including more than three-quarters of

those serving 100,000 or more

residents, had problem-solving partnerships or written agreements with

community groups, local agencies, or

others during the 12-month period

ending June 30, 2003. 

• Forty-seven percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 74% of all officers,

used full-time school resource officers

in 2003. Collectively, these agencies

employed about 5,600 such officers.

Highlights

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 iii

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Female and minority sworn personnel in sheriffs' offices, 1987 and 2003

sworn personnel

Percent of full-time

* Includes Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaska Natives.

1987 2003

Female All minorities Black or Afri- Hispanic Other*

can American or Latino
Policies and procedures

• Nearly all sheriffs' offices had a

written policy on pursuit driving. Half of

them restricted vehicle pursuits according to specific criteria such as speed or

offense. About a third had a policy that

left the decision to the officer’s discretion, and 7% discouraged all vehicle

pursuits.

• Ninety-seven percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 99% of all officers,

had a written policy on the use of

deadly force. Eighty-nine percent,

employing 97% of all officers, had a

policy on the use of nonlethal force. 

• Sixty-three percent of sheriffs' offices

had written policies about racial profiling by officers. This included about 9 

in 10 agencies serving populations of 1

million or more residents.

• Nearly half of sheriffs' offices had a

written plan specifying actions to be

taken in the event of a terrorist attack.

This included a majority of sheriffs'

offices serving 50,000 or more

residents.

• Eighty-three percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 92% of officers, had

written policies or procedures for

handling juveniles; 67%, employing

82% of officers, for responding to the

mentally ill; and 23%, employing 27%

of officers, for interacting with

homeless persons. 

Equipment

• In 2003, the .40-caliber semiautomatic was the most commonly authorized sidearm, with 62% of sheriffs'

offices authorizing its use by officers. 

• An estimated 96% of sheriffs' offices

authorized use of chemical agents such

as pepper spray during 2003, up from

52% in 1990.

• In 2003, 76% of officers were

employed by a department that

required at least some field officers to

wear protective body armor while on

duty, compared to 30% in 1990.

• Nationwide, sheriffs' offices in 2003

operated an estimated 118,300 cars,

or about 2 cars per 3 officers

employed. A third of these cars were

unmarked. 

• Over half of sheriffs' offices used

dogs for law enforcement, including

more than 75% of those serving

100,000 or more residents. Four

percent of agencies used horses.

• Two-thirds of sheriffs' offices regularly

used video cameras in patrol cars

during 2003, compared to about half in

2000. There were about 17,700 in-car

cameras in use during 2003. Ten

percent of sheriffs' offices used traffic

enforcement cameras during 2003.

Computers and information systems

• From 1990 to 2003 the percentage of

sheriffs' offices using infield computers

increased from 6% to 55%. Sheriffs'

offices using infield computers

employed 81% of all officers in 2003,

up from 28% in 1990.

• From 2000 to 2003 the percent of

officers employed by a department with

infield computer access to vehicle

records increased from 67% to 78%. 

• In 2003, 58% of sheriffs' offices used

paper reports as the primary means to

transmit criminal incident field data to a

central information system, down from

87% in 1997. During the same time

period, use of computer and data

devices increased from 7% to 33%. 

iv Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Sheriffs' offices using infield computers 

or terminals, 1990 and 2003

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent of agencies

2003

Population served

1990

Sheriffs' offices with a written policy on racial profiling 

by officers, 2003

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent of agencies

Population served
The LEMAS survey

During 2003 the Bureau of Justice 

Statistics (BJS), as part of its Law 

Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) program,

surveyed a nationally representative

sample of State and local law enforcement agencies operating nationwide.

Previous LEMAS surveys were

conducted in 1987, 1990, 1993, 1997,

1999 (limited scope), and 2000.

This report presents data from the

2003 survey describing the more than

3,000 sheriffs' offices operating in the

United States in terms of their personnel, expenditures and pay, operations,

community policing initiatives, written

policies and procedures, computers

and information systems, and equipment. Comparisons are made with

prior years where appropriate.

Sheriffs’ offices typically serve counties

and independent cities. Although

sheriffs’ offices may have countywide

jail and court-related responsibilities,

their law enforcement jurisdictions

typically exclude county areas served

by a local police department. In certain

counties some municipalities contract

with the sheriffs’ office for law enforcement services. In counties and

independent cities with a separate

police department, the sheriffs’ office

may not have any primary law enforcement jurisdiction.

The 2003 LEMAS survey questionnaire

was mailed to 3,154 State and local

law enforcement agencies (see

Methodology for a description of the

sample). The overall response rate

was 91%. 

This report and its companion report,

Local Police Departments, 2003,

summarize data collected from

agencies of all sizes. Agency-level data

for agencies with 100 or more officers

will be published in the BJS report, Law

Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 2003.

Personnel

As of June 30, 2003, sheriffs' offices

had an estimated 330,274 full-time

employees (table 1). Approximately

174,300, or 53%, of full-time sheriffs’

office employees were sworn personnel (those with general arrest powers).

Sheriffs' offices also employed about

24,000 persons on a part-time basis,

which includes about 9,500 sworn

officers.

Sheriffs' offices employed one-quarter

of full-time sworn officers working for

State and local general purpose law

enforcement agencies nationwide.

Their 156,022 full-time civilian employees

comprised half of nonsworn State and

local law enforcement employees. 

From 1987 (the first year of the LEMAS

survey) to 2003, overall employment by

sheriffs’ offices increased by about

141,000, or 75% C an average of 4.7%

annually (figure 1). The number of fulltime sworn officers increased by about

45,500, or 35%, during this period.

There were about 36,500 more fulltime sheriffs’ office employees in 2003

than in 2000, an increase of 12.4%, or

about 4.1% annually. When only sworn

personnel are considered, employment

by sheriffs' offices increased by about

9,500, or 5.8%, from 2000 to 2003. 

From 1987 to 2003 the number of fulltime civilian sheriffs’ office employees

increased from 60,506 to 156,022, or

158%. This included an increase of

about 26,900, or 21%, from 2000 to

2003.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 1

Note: Data are for the pay period that included June 30, 2003. 

Sworn employees are those with general arrest powers. 

Primary State 49 82,419 57,611 24,808 793 40 753

Sheriff 3,061 330,274 174,251 156,022 23,884 9,498 14,386

Local police 12,656 580,749 451,737 129,013 51,281 25,614 25,667

Total 15,766 993,442 683,599 309,843 75,958 35,152 40,806

Total Sworn Civilian Total Sworn Civilian

Number of Full-time Part-time

agencies

Type of 

agency

Number of employees

Table 1. Employment by general purpose State and local law enforcement

agencies in the United States, 2003

Figure 1

Total

Full-time employment by sheriffs' offices, 1987-2003

Sworn

officers

1987 1990 1993 1997 2000 0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

Number of full-time employees

2003
Nationwide, 354, or 11.6% of sheriffs'

offices, employed at least 100 sworn

personnel (table 2). This included 13

sheriffs' offices with 1,000 or more

officers. The Los Angeles County

Sheriffs’ Office was the largest, with

about 8,600 officers (see exhibit 1). An

estimated 732, or 23.9%, of sheriffs'

offices employed fewer than 10

officers, including 19 with 1 officer (the

sheriff).

Nineteen percent of all full-time officers

were employed by a department with

1,000 or more sworn personnel, and

65% were employed by a department

with at least 100 sworn personnel.

Sheriffs' offices that employed fewer

than 10 officers accounted for about

2% of all officers nationwide. 

2 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

*Includes both full-time and part-time employees. 

--Less than 0.05%.

1 19 0.6 19 -- 10 --

2-4 223 7.3 717 0.4 446 0.3

5-9 490 16.0 3,102 1.8 3,267 2.1

10-24 955 31.2 12,894 7.4 13,068 8.4

25-49 656 21.4 20,656 11.9 20,052 12.9

50-99 363 11.8 23,385 13.4 26,043 16.7

100-249 230 7.5 33,438 19.2 26,831 17.2

250-499 87 2.9 30,483 17.5 27,473 17.6

500-999 24 0.8 16,822 9.7 13,400 8.6

1,000 or more 13 0.4% 32,734 18.8% 25,432 16.3%

 Total 3,061 100% 174,251 100% 156,022 100%

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Full-time civilian

personnel

Full-time 

 Agencies sworn personnel

Number

of sworn

personnel*

Table 2. Sheriffs’ offices and full-time personnel, 

by number of sworn personnel, 2003

Note: Sworn employees are those with general arrest powers.

--Less than 0.5%.

a

Employment data are based on the 2004 Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.

b

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the result of a merger of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Las Vegas Police Department

in 1973, serves as the local police department for the City of Las Vegas. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office serves as the local police department for

the City of Jacksonville which is consolidated with Duval County. These two agencies, although headed by sheriffs, are classified as local police

departments in LEMAS for data analysis purposes. 

c

Duty area percentages are based on the 2000 LEMAS survey.

King Co. (WA) 705 58 22 0 4 2

Contra Costa Co. (CA) 707 37 6 36 9 1

Jefferson Parish (LA) 747 42 27 26 0 1

Ventura Co. (CA) 760 30 12 15 10 1

Erie Co. (NY) 813 18% 4% 62% 16% 1%

San Francisco Co. (CA) 824 0 1 67 9 2

Oakland Co. (MI) 840 41 8 48 3 1 a,c

Pinellas Co. (FL) 868 48 16 0 16 3

East Baton Rouge Parish (LA) 875 14 9 36 3 5

Wayne Co. (MI) 893 11% 3% 45% 6% 1%

Alameda Co. (CA) 974 15 2 48 16 1 c

Hillsborough Co. (FL) 1,126 65 13 0 -- 2

Palm Beach Co. (FL) 1,177 65 9 0 9 3

Orange Co. (FL) 1,294 62 15 0 10 4

San Diego Co. (CA) 1,320 35% 22% 4% 14% 3%

Sacramento Co. (CA) 1,525 36 11 26 6 --

San Bernardino Co. (CA) 1,541 32 12 22 11 0

Riverside Co. (CA) 1,542 69 9 13 9 0

Broward Co. (FL) 1,605 84 13 0 2 1

Jacksonville - Duval Co. (FL)b 1,624 61% 12% 0% 5% 1%

Orange Co. (CA) 1,755 29 7 40 12 1

Harris Co. (TX) 2,517 30 6 27 5 1

Clark Co. (NV) 2,640 48 18 25 0 -- b

Cook Co. (IL) 5,555 10 1 61 27 2 a

Los Angeles Co. (CA) 8,622 42% 6% 25% 15% 1%

Process 

serving 

Court 

security 

Jail

operations

InvestiPatrol gative 

Percent of officers by area of duty

 Full-time

 sworn

County or equivalent personnel

Exhibit 1. Twenty-five largest sheriffs’ offices, by number and function of full-time sworn personnel, 2003
Although 71% of all sheriffs' offices

served fewer than 50,000 residents,

these agencies employed 20% of all

officers (table 3). About half of all

officers served a jurisdiction with

250,000 or more residents. 

Sheriffs' offices serving the largest

jurisdictions had thousands of full-time

employees on average, while those

serving the smallest ones had an

average of 11 full-time employees,

including 6 sworn officers (table 4).

Part-time employees were more

common among sheriffs’ offices

serving larger jurisdictions, ranging

from an average of 2 in the smallest

jurisdictions to 89 in the largest. The

highest average number of sworn parttime employees was 39, among

sheriffs’ offices serving 1 million or

more residents.

Overall, 52% of full-time officers had

regularly assigned duties that included

responding to calls for service (table 5).

The proportion of officers responding 

to calls ranged from less than half

among sheriffs' offices serving 250,000

or more residents, to about 9 in 10 in

those serving fewer than 10,000

residents.

As of June 30, 2003, sheriffs' offices

collectively employed 97% of the

maximum number of full-time sworn

personnel authorized by their budgets

(table 6). The highest actual-toauthorized ratio for full-time sworn

personnel was among offices serving

50,000 to 99,999 residents (99%).

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 3

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 

Under 10,000 645 21.1 3,863 2.2 3,146 2.0

10,000-24,999 831 27.2 13,179 7.6 9,564 6.1

25,000-49,999 684 22.4 17,756 10.2 15,020 9.6

50,000-99,999 370 12.1 20,271 11.6 16,972 10.9

100,000-249,999 315 10.3 33,012 18.9 27,727 17.8

250,000-499,999 121 4.0 23,439 13.5 21,781 14.0

500,000-999,999 66 2.1 22,714 13.0 26,658 17.1

1,000,000 or more 29 0.9% 40,018 23.0% 35,156 22.5%

 All sizes 3,061 100% 174,251 100% 156,022 100%

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Full-time civilian

personnel

Full-time 

Population Agencies sworn personnel

served

Table 3. Sheriffs’ offices and full-time personnel, 

by size of population served, 2003

*Includes all uniformed officers whose

regularly assigned duties included responding

to citizen calls/requests for service.

Under 10,000 3,451 89

10,000-24,999 9,704 74

25,000-49,999 12,811 72

50,000-99,999 11,156 55

100,000-249,999 16,961 51

250,000-499,999 10,572 45

500,000-999,999 10,445 46

1,000,000 or more 15,376 38

 All sizes 90,477 52%

Number Percent

Full-time sworn personnel 

assigned to respond to 

Population citizen calls for service* 

served

Table 5. Officers assigned to

respond to citizen calls for service 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2003

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.

Under 10,000 11 6 5 2 1 1

10,000-24,999 27 16 12 4 2 2

25,000-49,999 48 26 22 7 3 4

50,000-99,999 101 55 46 9 4 5

100,000-249,999 193 105 88 11 4 7

250,000-499,999 373 193 180 23 5 19

500,000-999,999 751 346 406 31 10 21

1,000,000 or more 2,613 1,391 1,222 89 39 51

 All sizes 108 57 51 8 3 5

Total Sworn Civilian Total Sworn Civilian

Population Full-time Part-time

served

Average number of employees

Table 4. Average number of employees in sheriffs’ offices, by size

of population served, 2003

Note: Sworn employees are those with

general arrest powers.

Under 10,000 3,965 97

10,000-24,999 13,567 97

25,000-49,999 18,292 97

50,000-99,999 20,384 99

100,000-249,999 33,952 97

250,000-499,999 24,079 97

500,000-999,999 23,524 97

1,000,000 or more 41,202 97

 All sizes 178,965 97%

Percent

Authorized employed

Population

served

Full-time sworn employees

Table 6. Authorized full-time strength

of sheriffs’ offices and percent of

authorized strength employed, by size

of population served, 2003
Officer separations and new hires

Sixty-nine percent of sheriffs' offices

experienced officer separations during

the 12-month period ending June 30,

2003 (table 7). Nearly all sheriffs'

offices serving a population of 250,000

or more had officer separations during

the 12-month period, compared to less

than half of those serving a population

under 10,000.

The average number of separations

across all agencies was 6 officers,

ranging from 2 officers among sheriffs'

offices serving fewer than 25,000

residents to nearly 100 officers among

sheriffs' offices serving 1 million or

more residents.

During the same time period, 71% of

sheriffs' offices hired new officers. The

average number of new hires across all

agencies was 6 officers, ranging from 2

among sheriffs' offices serving fewer

than 10,000 residents to 66 among

sheriffs' offices serving 1 million or

more residents.

Overall, an estimated 13,538 full-time

sworn officers separated from sheriffs'

offices during the 12-month period

ending June 30, 2003 (table 8). An

estimated 58% (7,905 officers) of these

separations were due to resignations,

20% (2,719 officers) were due to

nonmedical retirements, 9% (1,210

officers) were dismissals, 5% (703

officers) were medical/disability retirements, and 3% (368 officers) were

probationary rejections. 

About three-quarters of the separations

in sheriffs' offices serving fewer than

25,000 residents were due to resignations, compared to less than half in

those serving a population of 500,000

or more. In contrast, about 30% of the

separations in the largest jurisdictions

were due to nonmedical retirements,

compared to under 10% in the

smallest.

4 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

*Excludes agencies without separations or new hires.

Under 10,000 41 2 44 2

10,000-24,999 69 2 68 3

25,000-49,999 69 3 76 3

50,000-99,999 84 4 88 5

100,000-249,999 87 10 89 11

250,000-499,999 98 16 93 20

500,000-999,999 98 23 90 26

1,000,000 or more 100% 97 89% 66

 All sizes 69% 6 71% 6

Average

number of

new hires*

Percent of

agencies hiring

new officers

Average

number of

separations*

Percent of

agencies with

separations

Population

served

Separations and new hires during the 12-month period ending June 30, 2003

Table 7. Officer separations and new officer hires in

sheriffs’ offices, by population served, 2003 

Note: Detail does not add to total because table excludes “Other separations” category. 

Under 10,000 451 100 339 75 15 3 63 14 0 0 15 3

10,000-24,999 1,340 100 995 74 111 8 174 13 10 1 10 1

25,000-49,999 1,417 100 949 67 182 13 152 11 48 3 39 3

50,000-99,999 1,393 100 851 61 246 18 121 9 82 6 60 4

100,000-249,999 2,814 100 1,738 62 479 17 340 12 110 4 80 3

250,000-499,999 1,887 100 1,081 57 443 24 141 8 107 6 69 4

500,000-999,999 1,460 100 717 49 502 34 75 5 76 5 56 4

1,000,000 or more 2,778 100% 1,235 44% 740 27% 144 5% 270 10% 40 1%

 All sizes 13,538 100% 7,905 58% 2,719 20% 1,210 9% 703 5% 368 3%

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Probationary

rejections

Medical/disability

Dismissals retirements

Non-medical

Population Total Resignations retirements

served

Officer separations during the 12-month period ending June 30, 2003

Table 8. Types of officer separations in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003
Overall, sheriffs' offices hired an

estimated 13,858 new full-time sworn

officers during the 12-month period

ending June 30, 2003 (table 9). The

total included 11,277 entry-level hires

(81%), 2,180 lateral transfers (16%),

and 401 other new hires (3%).

The largest number of new hires (3,091

officers, or 22% of all new hires) was

among sheriffs’ offices serving populations of 100,000 to 249,999, followed

by those serving 250,000 to 499,999

residents (2,221 officers, or about 16%

of all new hires). Sheriffs’ offices

serving the smallest jurisdictions had

the fewest new hires (538 officers, or

4% of all new hires). 

Six percent of sheriffs’ offices experienced separations without any new

hires during the 12-month period.

These agencies had an estimated 538

separations. Eight percent of sheriffs’

offices experienced new hires without

any separations. These agencies had

an estimated 533 new hires. 

Net personnel change, 2002-2003

The 13,858 new hires by sheriffs'

offices during the year ending June 30,

2003 and the 13,538 separations over

the same period represent an

estimated net increase overall (excluding lateral transfers) of 320 full-time

officers.

Overall, agencies serving 1 million or

more residents experienced a net loss

of 1,102 officers, the only decrease in

any population category (figure 2). 

The largest increase in number of

officers was in jurisdictions serving

populations of 250,000 to 499,999

residents, where 334 more officers

were serving in June 2003 compared to

a year earlier. The next largest

increases were in jurisdictions with

100,000 to 249,999 residents (277

more officers) or 25,000 to 49,999

residents (269 more officers).

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 5

Figure 2

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 

Under 10,000 538 100 446 83 87 16 5 1

10,000-24,999 1,497 100 1,255 84 233 16 10 1

25,000-49,999 1,686 100 1,312 78 335 20 39 2

50,000-99,999 1,609 100 1,235 77 365 23 10 1

100,000-249,999 3,091 100 2,541 82 521 17 29 1

250,000-499,999 2,221 100 1,971 89 203 9 48 2

500,000-999,999 1,540 100 1,257 82 229 15 54 4

1,000,000 or more 1,675 100% 1,262 75% 207 12% 207 12%

 All sizes 13,858 100% 11,277 81% 2,180 16% 401 3%

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Population Total hires Entry-level Lateral transfers Other types

served

New officer hires during the 12-month period ending June 30, 2003

Table 9. Types of new officer hires in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Net change in number of full-time sheriffs' deputies

for 12-month period ending June 30, 2003

Net change in number of officers

Population served

Under 10,000

10,000-24,999

25,000-49,999

50,000-99,999

100,000-249,999

250,000-499,999

500,000-999,999

1,000,000 or more

-1,200 -1,000 -800 -600 -400 -200 0 200 400
Military reservists called to active duty

During the 12-month period ending

June 30, 2003, 31% of sheriffs' offices

had full-time sworn personnel who were

called up as full-time military reservists

and were, therefore, no longer available

for law enforcement duties (table 10).

All offices serving 1 million or more

residents had call-ups, as did about 9 

in 10 offices serving 250,000 to

999,999 residents. Eight percent of

those serving fewer than 10,000

residents had call-ups.

Overall, about 2,800 officers were

called-up for reserve military service.

About half of them came from sheriffs'

offices serving 250,000 or more

residents. The average number of

officers called up was 3, ranging from 1

officer among sheriffs' offices serving

fewer than 25,000 residents to 20

officers among those serving a population of 1 million or more. 

Reserve or auxiliary officers

Some sheriffs' offices partly offset

officer shortages through the use of

supplemental personnel, such as sworn

reserve or auxiliary officers. As of June

30, 2003, 44% of sheriffs' offices were

using part-time sworn reserve or auxiliary officers, with an average of 16

officers each (table 11). Overall,

sheriffs' offices employed 20,844 such

officers. Thirteen percent of sheriffs'

offices were using full-time sworn

reserve or auxiliary officers, with a total

of 5,209 nationwide. The average

number of sworn auxiliary officers was

13. 

Thirteen percent of sheriffs' offices

were using part-time nonsworn reserve

or auxiliary officers (table 12), with a

total of nearly 11,000 used nationwide.

An estimated 2% of all offices were

using full-time nonsworn reserve or

auxiliary officers, with an overall total of

about 1,100. 

6 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

*Excludes agencies without call-ups.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 

Under 10,000 8 53 1

10,000-24,999 18 182 1

25,000-49,999 26 278 2

50,000-99,999 46 288 2

100,000-249,999 65 550 3

250,000-499,999 86 397 4

500,000-999,999 93 465 8

1,000,000 or more 100% 563 20

 All sizes 31% 2,777 3

Average 

number of

call-ups*

Total

number of

call-ups

Percent having

any reservists

called-up

Population 

served

Full-time reserve call-ups during 

the 12-month period ending June 30, 2003

Table 10. Full-time sworn personnel in sheriffs’ offices 

called-up as full-time military reservists, by size of population served, 2003

*Excludes agencies not using sworn reserve or auxiliary officers.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 

Under 10,000 8 281 6 30 785 4

10,000-24,999 12 674 7 43 2,734 8

25,000-49,999 15 1,196 12 49 4,375 13

50,000-99,999 21 1,138 15 51 3,523 19

100,000-249,999 12 659 18 50 3,353 21

250,000-499,999 15 366 20 51 1,834 30

500,000-999,999 14 560 63 40 1,639 62

1,000,000 or more 27% 335 43 58% 2,601 157

 All sizes 13% 5,209 13 44% 20,844 16

Average

number*

Total

number

Percent of

agencies

using

Average

number*

Total

number

Percent of

agencies

using

Full-time sworn Part-time sworn

Population 

served

Table 11. Use of sworn reserve or auxiliary officers in

sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

*Excludes agencies not using nonsworn reserve or auxiliary officers.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 

Under 10,000 3 73 4 9 620 11

10,000-24,999 2 97 5 10 470 6

25,000-49,999 1 199 21 15 1,133 11

50,000-99,999 2 147 21 14 692 14

100,000-249,999 5 356 25 25 2,326 30

250,000-499,999 2 75 34 11 114 9

500,000-999,999 2 111 100 14 627 71

1,000,000 or more 4% 1 1 39% 4,700 425

 All sizes 2% 1,058 14 13% 10,683 26

Number Average*

Percent of

agencies

Number Average* using

Percent of

agencies

using

Full-time nonsworn Part-time nonsworn

Population 

served

Table 12. Use of nonsworn reserve or auxiliary officers in 

sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003
Gender and race of officers

Of the 174,251 full-time sworn personnel

in sheriffs' offices as of June 2003, an

estimated 12.9% were women (table

13). The percentage of female officers

ranged from about 15% in sheriffs'

offices serving 500,000 or more

residents to 5% in those serving fewer

than 10,000 residents. 

In 2003 the estimated 22,411 female

officers represented an increase of

about 960, or 5%, from 2000. During

this time, female representation among

officers increased from 12.5% to

12.9% (figure 3), but female representation has not changed substantially

since 1987, when women comprised

12.6% of all officers.

In 2003 an estimated 18.8% of full-time

officers were members of a racial or

ethnic minority. Minority officers

comprised about a third of the total in

jurisdictions with 1 million or more

residents.

Blacks or African Americans accounted

for 10.0% of all officers in 2003. Black

employment was highest among

sheriffs' offices serving a population of

500,000 to 999,999 (14.2%).

An estimated 6.9% of officers nationwide were Hispanic or Latino, with the

highest representation among sheriffs'

offices serving a population of 1 million

or more (15.8%).

The number of officers who were

members of a racial or ethnic minority

in 2003 (32,726) represented an

increase of about 3,400, or 12%, over

2000 levels. From 2000 to 2003 minority representation increased from

17.1% to 18.7%. In 1987, minorities

comprised 13.4% of all officers. 

The estimated 17,473 full-time black

officers employed in 2003 was an

increase of about 1,990, or 13%,

compared to 2000. During this time,

the percentage of officers who were

black increased from 9.4% to 10.0%. In

1987, blacks comprised 8.3% of

officers. 

An estimated 12,007 Hispanic officers

were employed by sheriffs' offices in

2003. This was about 1,960, or 20%,

more than in 2000. From 2000 to 2003,

the percentage of officers who were

Hispanic rose from 6.1% to 6.9%. In

1987, 4.3% of officers were Hispanic. 

From 2000 to 2003 representation by

other minority groups such as Asians,

Pacific Islanders, and American

Indians increased by about 500, or

20%, to about 3,200 officers. These

groups comprised 1.9% of officers in

2003 compared to 1.6% in 2000, and

0.8% in 1987. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 7

Figure 3

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.

--Less than 0.05%.

*Includes Asians, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and any other race.

Under 10,000 100 95.0 5.0 93.9 89.1 4.8 2.9 2.8 0.1 2.4 2.3 0.1 0.9 0.9 0.0

10,000-24,999 100 90.6 9.4 86.2 79.2 7.0 10.9 8.7 2.2 1.9 1.7 0.2 1.0 1.0 --

25,000-49,999 100 90.9 9.1 89.6 82.2 7.4 6.2 5.0 1.2 3.3 2.9 0.4 0.9 0.8 0.1

50,000-99,999 100 87.7 12.3 91.3 80.7 10.6 6.0 4.6 1.4 1.8 1.6 0.1 0.9 0.8 0.1

100,000-249,999 100 87.2 12.8 85.8 76.2 9.6 9.7 7.0 2.7 3.2 2.7 0.4 1.3 1.2 0.1

250,000-499,999 100 86.0 14.0 82.8 72.8 9.9 10.5 7.5 3.1 5.4 4.7 0.8 1.3 1.1 0.2

500,000-999,999 100 84.9 15.1 73.9 64.3 9.7 14.2 10.1 4.1 9.2 8.1 1.1 2.7 2.4 0.3

1,000,000 or more 100% 85.2% 14.8% 69.0% 59.6% 9.4% 11.8% 9.0% 2.7% 15.8% 13.5% 2.3% 3.5% 3.1% 0.4%

 All sizes 100% 87.1% 12.9% 81.2% 72.0% 9.2% 10.0% 7.5% 2.6% 6.9% 6.0% 0.9% 1.9% 1.7% 0.2%

Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female

Population Total White Black/African American Hispanic/Latino Other*

served

Percent of full-time sworn employees who were —

Table 13. Gender and race of full-time sworn personnel in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003 

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

2003

1997

Female and minority sworn personnel in sheriffs' offices, 1987-2003

Percent of full-time

sworn personnel

 Female Minority*

1987

19901993

2000

*Includes blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, Asians, Native

Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Alaska Natives,

and any other racial or ethnic minority.
Screening of officer applicants 

Sheriffs' offices employed a variety of

screening methods when hiring new

officers. Nearly all used personal interviews (99%), and a majority used

medical exams (76%) and drug tests

(68%) (table 14). Among sheriffs'

offices serving 100,000 or more residents, a majority used psychological

evaluations, physical agility tests, and

written aptitude tests. More than half of

sheriffs' offices serving 250,000 or

more residents used polygraph exams.

In addition to interviews, tests, and

examinations, nearly all sheriffs' offices

screened recruits through criminal

record checks (99%), background

investigations (96%), and driving record

checks (94%) (table 15). Nearly half

conducted credit record checks (48%),

including a majority of those serving

50,000 or more residents.

Nearly all officers were employed by a

sheriff’s office that used criminal record

checks (99%), personal interviews

(98%), background investigations

(98%), and driving record checks (95%)

(figure 4). More than 4 in 5 officers

were employed by an office that used

medical exams (87%), and drug tests

(85%). More than two-thirds were

employed by one using psychological

evaluations (72%) and credit checks

(69%). More than half of officers

worked in sheriffs' offices using written

aptitude tests (58%) and physical agility

tests (54%).

8 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Sworn personnel employed by sheriffs' offices using

Screening methods

Personality inventory

Polygraph exam

Physical agility test

Written aptitude test

Credit history check

Psychological evaluation

Drug test

Medical exam

Driving record check

Background investigation

Personal interview

Criminal record check

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent of officers employed

various recruit screening methods, 2003

Note: List of selection methods is not intended to be exhaustive.

--Less than 0.5%

Under 10,000 99 61 55 38 31 23 11 7 1 1

10,000-24,999 98 75 64 43 34 32 16 15 1 0

25,000-49,999 99 76 69 41 34 32 23 17 4 0

50,000-99,999 100 83 70 61 40 50 20 33 9 0

100,000-249,999 98 87 78 68 53 59 37 39 9 1

250,000-499,999 97 91 91 89 59 59 33 55 8 1

500,000-999,999 98 97 97 95 62 71 44 52 5 3

1,000,000 or more 96% 92% 85% 85% 81% 73% 50% 62% 19% 4%

All sizes 99% 76% 68% 50% 38% 37% 21% 21% 4% --%

 Second 

 language

 ability test

 Voice

 stress

 analyzer

 

 Polygraph 

 exam

 Personality 

 inventory

 Written

 aptitude 

 test

 Physical

 agility test

 Psycho- 

 logical

 evaluation

 

 Drug test

 

 Medical 

 exam

 Personal

 interview

Population

served

Interviews, tests, and examinations used to select new officer recruits

Table 14. Interviews, tests and examinations used in selection of new deputy recruits 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Note: List of selection methods is not intended to be exhaustive.

Under 10,000 98 93 94 33 8

10,000-24,999 99 95 93 39 8

25,000-49,999 99 96 94 46 9

50,000-99,999 99 100 97 63 7

100,000-249,999 100 99 92 62 4

250,000-499,999 100 97 96 84 10

500,000-999,999 98 100 97 76 8

1,000,000 or more 96% 96% 96% 85% 12%

All sizes 99% 96% 94% 48% 8%

 Volunteer

 service

 check

 Credit 

 history

 check

 Driving 

 record

 check

 Background

 investigation

 Criminal

 record 

 check

Population

served

Background checks used to select new officer recruits

Table 15. Background checks used in selection of new deputy recruits

 in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Figure 4
Education and training requirements

Nearly all (99%) sheriffs' offices had an

education requirement for new officer

recruits (table 16). Eleven percent of

sheriffs' offices had some type of

college requirement, with 5% requiring

a 2-year degree.

In 2003 the percentage of officers

employed by a sheriffs’ office with

some type of college requirement for

new officers (11%) was slightly less

than in 2000 (13%), but nearly 3 times

as high as in 1990 (4%). 

In the largest jurisdictions new deputy

recruits were required to complete

more than 1,200 hours of training on

average, compared to about 800 hours

in the smallest (table 17). Overall,

about three-fourths of the training

hours required for new recruits were

State mandated, with the remainder an

agency requirement. For greater detail

on basic law enforcement training, see

State and Local Law Enforcement

Training Academies, 2002. 

From 2000 to 2003 there were

increases in training requirements for

new deputy recruits in all population

categories (figure 5). In jurisdictions

with 500,000 or more residents, the

combined field and academy training

requirement rose from 918 hours to

1,223 hours; with 100,000 to 499,999

residents, from 944 to 1,077; with

25,000 to 99,999 residents, from 700 to

933; and with fewer than 25,000

residents, from 555 to 778 hours. 

The average annual in-service training

requirement for non-probationary

officers was 49 hours, including 28

State-mandated hours (table 18).

Overall, 9% of sheriffs' offices operated

a training academy; however, a majority of those serving a population of

500,000 or more did so. Nationwide,

39% of all officers were employed by a

department that operated an academy.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 9

Figure 5

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.

*Non-degree requirements.

--Less than 0.5%

Under 10,000 98 93 0 5 0

10,000-24,999 98 89 2 7 0

25,000-49,999 99 89 4 6 0

50,000-99,999 100 86 12 2 0

100,000-249,999 98 88 10 1 0

250,000-499,999 99 91 4 3 2

500,000-999,999 98 74 7 10 7

1,000,000 or more 100% 85% 4% 12% 0%

 All sizes 99% 89% 4% 5% --%

4-year

college

degree

2-year

college

degree

Some

college*

High

school

diploma

Total

with requirementPopulation

served

Percent of agencies requiring 

a minimum of C

Table 16. Minimum educational requirement for new

deputies in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population

served, 2003

Under 2,500 2

10,000-24,999 3

25,000-49,999 9

50,000-99,999 14

100,000-249,999 16

250,000-499,999 26

500,000-999,999 51

1,000,000 or more 77%

All sizes 9%

 Percent with

 training academy

Population

served

Note: Average number of training hours excludes sheriffs' offices not requiring training.

Under 10,000 571 551 20 190 82 108

10,000-24,999 541 518 23 245 117 128

25,000-49,999 570 536 34 376 148 228

50,000-99,999 569 556 13 340 141 199

100,000-249,999 612 581 31 460 177 283

250,000-499,999 673 622 51 415 171 244

500,000-999,999 688 570 118 506 246 260

1,000,000 or more 804 692 112 484 233 251

All sizes 576 547 29 323 136 187

Other

required

StateTotal mandatedOther

required

StateTotal mandatedPopulation 

served

Academy Field

Average number of hours required

Table 17. Training requirements for new deputy recruits in sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0 400 800 1,200 1,600

Average number of training hours required

Population served

2003

2000

Training requirements for new deputy recruits

in sheriffs' offices, 2000 and 2003

Under 10,000 46 26

10,000-24,999 29 18

25,000-49,999 19 22

50,000-99,999 20 18

100,000-249,999 22 19

250,000-499,999 21 21

500,000-999,999 21 20

1,000,000 or more 15 14

All sizes 28 21

Other 

StatemandatedPopulation 

served

Average number 

of hours required

Table 18. Annual in-service training

requirements for non-probationary

deputies in sheriffs’ offices by size

of population served, 2003
Budget and pay

Operating budgets

The total operating budget of sheriffs'

offices during fiscal 2003 was about

$22.3 billion (table 19). This was 18%

more than in 2000 after adjusting for

inflation. (These figures do not include

budgets for capital expenditures such

as equipment purchases or construction projects.) Sheriffs' offices

accounted for 30% of the $73.6 billion

in total operating budgets for general

purpose State and local law enforcement agencies. 

Nationwide, operating budgets were

about $7.3 million per sheriffs’ office for

fiscal 2003, ranging from about $226

million for those serving a population of

1 million or more, to $518,000 among

those serving fewer than 10,000

residents. 

The overall operating cost per resident

was $82, with sheriffs' offices in jurisdictions with a population of 1 million or

more costing the most to operate, $102

per resident, followed by those serving

populations of under 10,000, $98 per

resident. Sheriffs' offices serving a

population of 25,000 to 49,999 had the

lowest per resident cost — about $65. 

Nationwide, sheriffs' offices cost an

estimated $124,400 per sworn officer to

operate for fiscal 2003. Those serving a

population of 1 million or more

($161,600 per officer) cost about twice

as much to operate as those serving

fewer than 10,000 residents ($80,300). 

When both sworn and nonsworn

personnel are included, sheriffs' offices

cost $65,100 per employee to operate

for the year. Operating costs ranged

from about $86,000 per employee in

jurisdictions with 1 million or more

residents to about $43,000 per

employee in those with fewer than

10,000 residents. 

After controlling for inflation per officer

operating costs for 2003 were $9,000,

or 8%, higher than in 2000 (figure 6).

The largest increase, from $78,600 to

$93,900, was recorded in jurisdictions

with 25,000 to 99,999 residents. There

was a slight decrease, from $80,300 to

$78,700, in jurisdictions with fewer than

25,000 residents. 

10 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

State police 8.0 7.2

Sheriff 22.3 18.9

Local police $43.3 $39.2

 Total $73.6 $65.3

2003 2000

Operating expenditures 

of general purpose law

enforcement agencies in

2003 dollars (in billions)

Note: Figures are for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, or the most recent fiscal year

completed prior to that date. Figures do not include capital expenditures such as equipment

purchases or construction costs. Computation of per officer and per employee averages include

both full-time and part-time employees, with a weight of .5 assigned to part-time employees.

Total and per agency figures are rounded to the nearest $1,000; per officer and per employee

figures, to the nearest $100.

Under 10,000 334,270,000 518,000 80,300 43,100 98

10,000-24,999 1,097,863,000 1,321,000 78,300 45,000 78

25,000-49,999 1,636,483,000 2,393,000 86,600 46,500 65

50,000-99,999 2,111,686,000 5,707,000 100,400 54,200 78

100,000-249,999 3,712,413,000 11,785,000 110,600 59,500 78

250,000-499,999 3,146,221,000 26,002,000 132,700 67,500 74

500,000-999,999 3,667,312,000 55,565,000 159,200 72,800 79

1,000,000 or more $6,558,583,000 $226,158,000 $161,600 $85,800 $102

 All sizes $22,264,831,000 $7,274,000 $124,400 $65,100 $82

 Per 

 resident

 Per 

 employee

 Per 

 sworn officer

 Per 

Total agency

Population

served

Operating budget, 2003

Table 19. Operating budget of sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Figure 6

Under 25,000 

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

All sizes 

$0 $30,000 $60,000 $90,000 $120,000 $150,000 $180,000

Annual per officer operating costs of

Population served

Annual operating costs per officer

in 2003 dollars (in thousands)

2003

2000

sheriffs' offices, 2000 and 2003
Salaries

The overall average base starting

salary for sheriffs was $54,500 in 2003

(table 20). Average starting salaries for

sheriffs ranged from $119,300 in jurisdictions with 1 million or more residents

to $37,000 in those with a population

under 10,000.

Average minimum starting salaries for

first-line supervisors (sergeant or

equivalent) ranged from $56,200 in the

largest jurisdictions to $28,000 in the

smallest. When size of agency is

considered, the average minimum

starting salary earned by sergeants

was about $43,700.

By agency the average base starting

salary offered to entry-level deputies in

2003 was $26,300. Starting salaries

ranged from $23,300 in jurisdictions

with fewer than 10,000 residents to

$38,800 in those with a population of 1

million or more. When size of agency is

factored in, it is estimated that new

entry-level deputies started at an

average salary of about $32,600 during

2003. This was 14% more than in

2000; and a 6% increase after adjusting for inflation. 

By population category inflationadjusted salaries increased the most in

jurisdictions with 500,000 or more

residents, from $31,849 to $36,161, or

14% (figure 7). In jurisdictions with

100,000 to 499,999 residents, salaries

rose 12%, from $27,215 to $30,586; in

those with 25,000 to 99,999 residents,

they rose 11%, from $24,103 to

$26,686; and in those with fewer than

25,000 residents, they were up 10%,

from $22,028 to $24,220.

Special pay

Nationwide, 23% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 50% of all officers, offered

tuition reimbursement to officers (table

21). This included a majority of sheriffs'

offices serving 250,000 or more

residents. 

An estimated 20% of sheriffs' offices

offered education incentive pay to

qualifying officers. About half (49%) of

all officers worked for a department

that offered this type of pay.

Twenty-three percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 34% of all officers,

offered shift differential pay to full-time

officers. This included a majority of the

sheriffs' offices serving a population of

500,000 or more.

Twenty-one percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 39% of all officers, offered

merit pay to qualifying sworn

personnel.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 11

Note: Salary figures have been rounded to the nearest $100. Computation of 

average salary excludes sheriffs' offices with no full-time employee in that position.

Under 10,000 23,300 26,200 28,000 30,900 37,000 40,000

10,000-24,999 24,900 29,400 30,200 34,200 49,300 52,800

25,000-49,999 25,800 30,700 31,400 36,000 53,500 57,800

50,000-99,999 28,400 36,100 35,100 43,700 62,000 68,500

100,000-249,999 30,000 39,800 39,600 50,200 71,600 81,200

250,000-499,999 32,000 44,400 43,700 55,500 84,200 96,700

500,000-999,999 35,000 51,200 51,000 62,900 96,700 111,000

1,000,000 or more $38,800 $54,500 $56,200 $70,000 $119,300 $135,100

 All sizes $26,300 $32,200 $32,800 $38,500 $54,500 $59,800

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum

Sheriff

Sergeant or

Population Entry-level deputy equivalent

served

 Average base annual salary, 2003

Table 20. Average base annual salary for selected positions 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Figure 7

Average starting salary in 2003 dollars

1990

2000

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

Average base starting salary for entry-level deputies

in sheriffs' offices, 2000 and 2003

2003

2000

$0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000
Eleven percent of sheriffs' offices

offered special skills pay, including

about 3 in 10 sheriffs' offices serving

250,000 or more residents. Overall,

26% of officers worked in a department

that offered special skills pay. 

Thirteen percent of sheriffs' offices

authorized special pay for military

service. These departments employed

32% of officers. 

Hazardous duty pay was available in

10% of all sheriffs' offices, employing

32% of all officers.

Three percent of sheriffs' offices

offered special pay for officers with

bilingual ability. Twenty-one percent of

officers worked for sheriffs' offices

authorizing this type of special pay.

Unions and collective bargaining

Nationwide, 28% of sheriffs' offices,

employing nearly half (47%) of all

officers, authorized collective bargaining

for sworn personnel (table 22). This

group included a majority of the

sheriffs' offices serving a population of

250,000 or more. 

Overall, 24% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 44% of all nonsworn personnel, authorized collective bargaining for

nonsworn employees. A majority of

sheriffs' offices serving a population of

500,000 or more authorized collective

bargaining for nonsworn employees. 

The average starting salary for entrylevel deputies was about $6,900 higher

in sheriffs' offices that authorized

collective bargaining than in those that

did not authorize it. Sheriffs' offices with

collective bargaining for officers had

higher average entry-level salaries in all

population categories (figure 8). In

jurisdictions with fewer than 100,000

residents the difference was about

$5,900, 100,000 to 499,999 residents,

$4,700; and 500,000 or more residents,

$5,600.

12 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Under 10,000 14 16 9 11 8 4 3 1

10,000-24,999 9 15 15 11 5 9 8 1

25,000-49,999 22 19 17 17 10 11 7 1

50,000-99,999 25 31 28 30 16 13 18 4

100,000-249,999 46 37 42 37 24 19 18 9

250,000-499,999 68 47 48 52 35 26 20 11

500,000-999,999 65 53 39 49 50 29 38 26

1,000,000 or more 69% 62% 46% 65% 46% 31% 62% 39%

 All sizes 23% 23% 21% 20% 13% 11% 10% 3%

Bilingual 

ability

Hazardous

duty

Special 

skills

 

Military

service

Education 

Merit incentive

Shift 

differential 

Tuition 

reimbursement Population

served

Percent of agencies authorizing pay for —

Table 21. Sheriffs’ offices authorizing special pay for full-time 

sworn personnel, by size of population served 2003

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

$0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000

Average starting salary

Population served

Collective bargaining authorized

No collective bargaining

Starting salaries for entry-level deputies in sheriffs' offices

authorizing and not authorizing collective bargaining, 2003

Figure 8

Under 10,000 12 10

10,000-24,999 22 17

25,000-49,999 29 24

50,000-99,999 39 37

100,000-249,999 42 37

250,000-499,999 52 47

500,000-999,999 65 55

1,000,000 or more 77% 65%

 All sizes 28% 24%

 Civilian 

 employees

 Sworn

 employees

Population 

served

Percent of agencies 

authorizing collective

bargaining for —

Table 22. Collective bargaining

authorized by sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003
Operations

Facilities

As of June 30, 2003, 24% of sheriffs'

offices operated district, precinct, or

division stations that were separate

from headquarters (table 23). About

2,000 such stations were operated by

sheriffs' offices nationwide.

An estimated 23% of sheriffs' offices

operated fixed neighborhood or

community substations, including 81%

of those serving a population of 1

million or more. Three percent of

sheriffs' offices operated mobile

substations, including 15% of those

serving 1 million or more residents.

Nationwide, sheriffs' offices operated

an estimated 1,926 fixed substations,

and 105 mobile substations.

Patrol and response

Sheriffs' offices used a variety of patrol

types to supplement routine automobile patrol services (table 24). An

estimated 11% of them, employing 45%

of all officers, used motorcycle patrol on

a routine basis during 2003. This

included a majority of those serving

500,000 or more residents. 

About a fifth (21%) of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 46% of all officers, used

marine patrols on a routine basis 

during 2003. This included more than

half of those serving a population of 1

million or more residents.

Overall, 5% of sheriffs' offices routinely

scheduled horse patrol units. About a

third of sheriffs' offices serving 1 million

or more residents used horse patrols

on a regular basis.

Twenty-five percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 38% of all officers, used foot

patrol on a routine basis. This included

more than half of those serving a

population of 1 million or more. 

An estimated 10% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 39% of all officers, used

routine bicycle patrol units. Nearly

two-thirds of those serving 1 million or

more residents had routine bike

patrols, as did more than a third of

those serving 250,000 to 999,999

residents. 

The percentage of sheriffs’ offices using

routine foot or bicycle patrol in 2003 was

higher in all population categories than 

in 1997 (figure 9). When compared with

2000 the use of foot or bicycle patrol in

2003 was higher in jurisdictions with

500,000 or more residents, (59% versus

51%) or fewer than 25,000 residents

(29% versus 24%). In jurisdictions with

100,000 to 499,999 residents, it declined

from 47% of agencies to 35%, and in

jurisdictions with 25,000 to 99,999

residents, it declined from 28% to 26%. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 13

*Excludes agencies not operating that type of station.

Under 10,000 7 1 5 2 1 1

10,000-24,999 15 2 15 2 1 1

25,000-49,999 22 2 21 2 4 1

50,000-99,999 39 2 37 2 3 1

100,000-249,999 37 3 50 3 6 1

250,000-499,999 67 3 41 4 6 2

500,000-999,999 75 4 47 5 12 2

1,000,000 or more 89% 11 81% 10 15% 1

 All sizes 24% 3 23% 3 3% 1

Average

number*

Percent

operating

Average

number*

Percent

operating

Average

number*

Percent

operating

Population

served

Mobile neighborhood

substations

Fixed neighborhood

substations

District, precinct, 

or division stations

Table 23. Average number of district/precinct stations, and neighborhood

substations of sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 29 9 2 3 2

10,000-24,999 25 15 6 4 3

25,000-49,999 21 18 7 6 1

50,000-99,999 24 34 16 16 6

100,000-249,999 21 36 23 21 14

250,000-499,999 27 45 36 33 15

500,000-999,999 34 41 54 40 20

1,000,000 or more 56% 56% 72% 64% 32%

 All sizes 25% 21% 11% 10% 5%

Bicycle Horse

MotorFoot Marine cyclePopulation

served

Percent of agencies using each

type of patrol on a routine basis

Table 24. Types of routine patrol other than

automobile used by sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Percent of agencies

Population served

2003

2000

Sheriffs' offices using foot or bicycle patrol,

by size of population served, 1997-2003

1997

Figure 9
An estimated 67% of sheriffs’ offices

had responsibility for dispatching calls

for service (table 25). This included at

least half of the sheriffs' offices in each

population category. 

Nearly half (49%) of sheriffs' offices

dispatched calls for fire services. Fire

dispatch responsibilities were most

common among sheriffs' offices

serving under 25,000 residents, where

more than half performed this function.

About one fifth of sheriffs' offices had

sworn personnel serving as communications technicians such as call-takers

and dispatchers (table 26). Among

sheriffs' offices having sworn communications technicians, the average

number of such personnel was 6,

ranging from 4 in the smallest sheriffs'

offices to more than 40 in those serving

1 million or more residents. Overall,

sheriffs' offices had an estimated 3,754

full-time sworn personnel serving in this

capacity.

9-1-1 emergency telephone system

In 2003, 94% of sheriffs' offices participated in a 9-1-1 emergency telephone

system (table 27). At least 85% of the

sheriffs' offices in each population

category were 9-1-1 participants. 

Seventy-one percent of sheriffs' offices

had an enhanced 9-1-1 system,

capable of automatically displaying

information such as a caller’s phone

number, address, and special needs.

This included about four-fifths of those

serving a population of 25,000 or more.

About half of sheriffs' offices in jurisdictions with fewer than 10,000 residents

had enhanced 9-1-1.

Among the enhanced 9-1-1 systems in

use during 2003, 65% had the ability to

display the phone number of wireless

callers, and 17% could display the

location of wireless callers. 

In 2003, 93% of all officers worked for a

sheriff’s office with 9-1-1, compared to

53% in 1987 (figure 10). Eighty-three

percent of officers were employed by

an office with enhanced 9-1-1 in 2003,

compared to 23% in 1987.

14 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

*Excludes agencies not employing technicians.

Under 10,000 20 499 4

10,000-24,999 22 968 5

25,000-49,999 20 691 5

50,000-99,999 23 424 5

100,000-249,999 15 497 10

250,000-499,999 18 254 12

500,000-999,999 8 41 7

1,000,000 or more 31% 380 43

 All sizes 20% 3,754 6

Total Average*

Population Number of officers

served

Percent of

agencies

using

Table 26. Full-time sworn personnel

in sheriffs’ offices serving as

communications technicians, by size

of population served, 2003

Note: Participating agencies are those whose

units can be dispatched as result of a call to

9-1-1. Detail may not add to total because of

rounding.

Under 10,000 92 52 40

10,000-24,999 95 67 28

25,000-49,999 95 79 16

50,000-99,999 96 82 14

100,000-249,999 93 81 12

250,000-499,999 92 85 7

500,000-999,999 85 78 7

1,000,000 or more 94% 77% 12%

 All sizes 94% 71% 23%

Total Enhanced Basic

Percent of agencies 

participating in a

Population 9-1-1 phone system

served

Table 27. Participation in a 9-1-1

emergency telephone system

by sheriffs’ offices, by size of

population served, 2003

Under 10,000 74 65

10,000-24,999 71 56

25,000-49,999 65 47

50,000-99,999 66 43

100,000-249,999 51 29

250,000-499,999 56 21

500,000-999,999 61 22

1,000,000 or more 89% 31%

 All sizes 67% 49%

Fire 

services

Police

services

Population

served

Percent of agencies

dispatching calls for C

Table 25. Dispatch functions

of sheriffs’ offices, by size of 

population served, 2003

Sheriff's office participation in a 9-1-1

emergency telephone system, 1987-2003 

1987 1990 1993 1997 2000 2003

0

20%

40%

60%

80%

100% Any 9-1-1

2003

Enhanced 9-1-1

Percent of officers employed

by agencies with 9-1-1

Figure 10
Crime investigation

Overall, 92% of sheriffs' offices had

investigative responsibility for at least

some types of crimes during the

12-month period ending June 30, 2003.

Eighty-two percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 89% of all officers, handled

homicide investigations (table 28). 

Seventy-three percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 72% of all officers,

conducted arson investigations. This

included 78% of the sheriffs' offices

serving 25,000 to 99,999 residents.

Half of all sheriffs' offices, employing

73% of all officers, conducted cybercrime investigations, including 9 in 10

offices serving a population of 1 million

or more residents. 

Drug enforcement activities

Nine in 10 sheriffs' offices regularly

performed drug enforcement functions

(table 29). Sheriffs' offices with drug

enforcement responsibilities employed

90% of all local police officers.

Thirty-six percent of sheriffs’ offices

operated a special unit for drug

enforcement with one or more officers

assigned full-time (table 30). A majority

of sheriffs' offices serving a population

of 250,000 or more residents had a fulltime drug enforcement unit. There

were an estimated 4,031 officers

assigned full time to drug enforcement

units nationwide. The average number

of officers assigned ranged from 27 in

jurisdictions with 1 million or more

residents to 2 in those with fewer than

50,000 residents. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 15

Under 10,000 69 67 29

10,000-24,999 87 74 49

25,000-49,999 89 78 52

50,000-99,999 86 78 64

100,000-249,999 81 73 66

250,000-499,999 65 60 57

500,000-999,999 75 52 61

1,000,000 or more 89% 50% 89%

All sizes 82% 73% 50%

Homicide Arson Cybercrime

Population Percent of agencies investigating —

served

Table 28. Sheriffs’ offices with primary investigative

responsibility for selected crimes, 

by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 91

10,000-24,999 94

25,000-49,999 94

50,000-99,999 87

100,000-249,999 81

250,000-499,999 70

500,000-999,999 78

1,000,000 or more 89%

All sizes 90%

Percent of agencies

regularly performing

drug enforcement

functions

Population 

served

Table 29. Drug enforcement in

sheriffs’ offices, by size of population

served, 2003

*Excludes agencies not having a unit with full-time officers.

Under 10,000 14 141 2

10,000-24,999 36 491 2

25,000-49,999 42 582 2

50,000-99,999 47 522 3

100,000-249,999 42 650 5

250,000-499,999 51 578 9

500,000-999,999 55 474 13

1,000,000 or more 77% 594 27

 All sizes 36% 4,031 4

 Total Average*

Percent Number of full-time officers

of agencies

Population

served

Full-time unit for drug enforcement

Table 30. Special units for drug enforcement in sheriffs’

offices, by size of population served, 2003
Drug task force participation

In 2003 an estimated 47% of sheriffs'

offices had one or more officers

assigned full time to a multi-agency

drug enforcement task force (table 31),

including 89% of sheriffs' offices

serving 1 million or more residents.

About 71% of all officers worked for a

department that assigned officers to a

drug task force. 

Nationwide, an estimated 3,477 officers

were assigned full time to a drug task

force. The average number assigned

full time ranged from 9 in sheriffs'

offices serving a population of 1 million

or more to 1 in those serving fewer

than 10,000 residents.

Drug asset forfeiture receipts

Fifty-two percent of all sheriffs' offices

received money, property, or goods

from a drug asset forfeiture program

during 2002 (table 32). These sheriffs'

offices employed 76% of all sworn

personnel. More than 8 in 10 of the

sheriffs' offices serving populations of

500,000 or more had drug asset forfeiture receipts.

During 2002 the overall median amount

received from drug asset forfeiture

programs by sheriffs' offices was

$10,000. By population category, the

median amount received ranged from

about $1 million among sheriffs' offices

serving a population of 1 million or

more to $5,000 among those serving

fewer than 10,000 residents. 

Overall, sheriffs' offices received an

estimated $178 million in money,

goods, and property from drug asset

forfeitures during 2002. Including both

sheriffs' offices with receipts and those

without, this was the equivalent of $992

per sworn officer employed. Sheriffs'

offices with 1,000 or more officers

received the most — nearly $1,700 per

officer (figure 11). Next highest were

agencies with 250 to 999 officers which

received about $1,100 per officer and

those with under 25 officers which

received about $1,000 per officer.

Sheriffs' offices with 25 to 49 officers

received the least — $449 per officer. 

16 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Figure 11

*Excludes agencies not having officers assigned full time.

Under 10,000 16 145 1

10,000-24,999 41 592 2

25,000-49,999 54 678 2

50,000-99,999 68 575 2

100,000-249,999 73 653 3

250,000-499,999 52 262 4

500,000-999,999 73 342 7

1,000,000 or more 89% 229 9

 All sizes 47% 3,477 2

Total Average*

Population

served

Number of officers

assigned full time

Percent of

agencies

participating

Multi-agency drug enforcement task force

Table 31. Participation by sheriffs’ offices 

in multi-agency drug enforcement task forces, 

by size of population served, 2003

*Excludes agencies not having drug asset forfeiture receipts. 

Under 10,000 26 4,783,800 5,000

10,000-24,999 48 12,114,200 7,200

25,000-49,999 60 9,333,000 10,000

50,000-99,999 65 8,362,800 21,500

100,000-249,999 68 35,860,300 44,600

250,000-499,999 57 13,064,200 100,200

500,000-999,999 82 21,229,500 92,300

1,000,000 or more 83% $72,752,100 $966,400

 All sizes 52% $177,500,000 $10,000

Total Median*

Value of money, goods, 

and property received

Percent of 

agencies with

receipts*

Population 

served

Asset forfeiture receipts during 2002

Table 32. Drug asset forfeiture program receipts of sheriffs’

offices, by size of population served, 2002

Under 25

25-49

50-99

100-249

250-999

1,000 or more

$0 $500 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000

by size of agency, 2002

Drug receipts per sworn officer*

*Part-time officers are included with a weight of .5 assigned.

Number of full-time

sworn personnel

Drug asset forfeiture receipts of sheriffs' offices,
Court-related functions

More than 9 in 10 sheriffs' offices had

responsibility for serving civil process

(98%), executing arrest warrants

(97%), enforcing protection orders

(96%), providing court security (94%),

and serving eviction notices (91%)

(table 33). About three-quarters had

responsibility for enforcing child

support orders. 

Detention-related functions

About 9 in 10 sheriffs' offices provided

inmate transport services in 2003

(table 34). Seventy-six percent

operated at least one jail during 2003.

Eighty-six percent of all sworn personnel worked for a sheriff’s office with a

jail.

About a third (31%) of sheriffs’ offices

operated a temporary holding cell not

used for overnight detention.

Twenty-three percent of sheriffs' offices

operated at least one temporary

holding (lockup) facility for overnight

detention of adults that was separate

from a jail (table 35). The median

maximum holding time for these facilities was 24 hours. 

The median total capacity of adult

lockups ranged from 196 in jurisdictions

with 500,000 to 999,999 residents to 10

in those with fewer than 10,000

residents. The estimated total adult

capacity of sheriffs’ lockups nationwide

was about 32,600.

Six percent of sheriffs' offices had a

lockup facility for juveniles, with a

median maximum holding time of 8

hours. The median capacity of juvenile

lockups ranged from 23 in jurisdictions

with 500,000 to 999,999 residents to 1

in those with fewer than 10,000

residents. Nationwide, sheriffs’ lockups

for juveniles had an estimated total

capacity of about 1,100. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 17

Under 10,000 97 96 96 93 87 64

10,000-24,999 98 98 96 98 95 82

25,000-49,999 99 99 97 94 92 74

50,000-99,999 99 98 98 92 96 77

100,000-249,999 97 97 93 93 87 83

250,000-499,999 95 97 93 92 85 80

500,000-999,999 93 93 95 93 87 76

1,000,000 or more 85% 92% 92% 96% 73% 65%

All sizes 98% 97% 96% 94% 91% 76%

Enforcing

child

support

orders

Serving

eviction

notices

Providing

court

security

Enforcing

protection

orders

Executing

arrest

warrants

Serving 

civil

process

Population 

served

Percent of agencies —

Table 33. Court-related functions of sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

*Not for overnight detention.

Under 10,000 84 65 23

10,000-24,999 88 77 29

25,000-49,999 95 82 35

50,000-99,999 90 82 21

100,000-249,999 86 79 34

250,000-499,999 91 65 53

500,000-999,999 97 71 60

1,000,000 or more 89% 85% 69%

 All sizes 89% 76% 31%

Operating a 

temporary 

holding cell*

Operating 

1 or more jails

Providing

inmate 

transport

Population 

served

Percent of agencies —

Table 34. Detention functions of sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Note: Median capacity is based on total for all lockups, 

and excludes sheriffs' offices not operating a facility.

Under 10,000 26 10 2 1

10,000-24,999 26 20 8 2

25,000-49,999 22 12 8 4

50,000-99,999 12 30 1 15

100,000-249,999 17 24 8 4

250,000-499,999 23 27 13 10

500,000-999,999 19 196 3 23

1,000,000 or more 31% 175 15% 7

 All sizes 23% 16 6% 4

Median total

capacity

Percent with 

lockup

Median total

capacity

Percent with 

lockup

Population 

served

Adult Juvenile

Agencies operating temporary holding (lockup) facilities

Table 35. Temporary holding (lockup) facilities operated

by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003
Special public safety functions

About three-quarters (73%) of sheriffs'

offices provided crime prevention

education to citizens, including more

than 9 in 10 agencies serving populations of 1 million or more residents

(table 36).

About a third (36%) of sheriffs' offices

provided animal control services in

2003. Other special public safety

functions included civil defense (20%),

school crossing services (16%),

emergency medical services (15%),

and fire services (10%).

Traffic and vehicle-related functions

Nine in 10 sheriffs' offices in 2003

enforced traffic laws (table 37). About 7

in 10 investigated traffic accidents

(74%) and performed traffic direction

and control (71%). Less common was

parking enforcement (36%) and

commercial vehicle enforcement

functions (18%), although these tasks

were performed by a majority of those

serving a population of 1 million or

more residents. 

Special operations functions

Fifty-six percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 65% of all officers,

performed search and rescue operations on a regular basis during 2003

(table 38).

An estimated 43% of sheriffs' offices

performed tactical operations in 2003,

utilizing what are commonly known as

SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics)

teams. These offices employed 75% of

all officers. More than 70% of the

offices in each population category of

50,000 or more performed tactical

operations.

About a quarter (27%) of sheriffs'

offices, employing 52% of all officers,

were responsible for underwater recovery operations during 2003. This

included 65% of the offices serving a

population of 1 million or more. 

Ten percent of sheriffs' offices, employing 41% of officers, had primary

responsibility for bomb and explosives

disposal. This included about half of the

offices serving 250,000 or more

residents.

18 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Under 10,000 69 46 34 14 29 28

10,000-24,999 70 42 19 14 13 8

25,000-49,999 77 30 14 15 10 5

50,000-99,999 79 30 11 15 9 2

100,000-249,999 77 34 22 26 9 5

250,000-499,999 66 14 16 19 10 6

500,000-999,999 69 17 17 14 7 3

1,000,000 or more 92% 19% 23% 19% 12% 4%

All sizes 73% 36% 20% 16% 15% 10%

Fire 

services

Emergency

medical

services

School

crossing

services

Civil 

defense

Animal

control

Crime

prevention

education

Population 

served

Percent of agencies responsible for C

Table 36. Special public safety functions of sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 94 82 72 38 14

10,000-24,999 92 77 76 33 19

25,000-49,999 92 74 72 30 14

50,000-99,999 88 67 66 38 23

100,000-249,999 84 62 65 36 18

250,000-499,999 73 61 65 41 26

500,000-999,999 80 66 75 58 36

1,000,000 or more 89% 81% 81% 77% 65%

All sizes 90% 74% 71% 36% 18%

Commercial

vehicle

enforcement

Parking

enforcement

Traffic

direction/

control

Accident

investigation

Traffic law 

enforcement

Population 

served

Percent of agencies responsible for C

Table 37. Traffic and vehicle-related functions of

 sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 57 13 6 4

10,000-24,999 60 27 21 4

25,000-49,999 52 47 26 4

50,000-99,999 53 80 47 16

100,000-249,999 51 72 44 19

250,000-499,999 54 72 52 55

500,000-999,999 63 85 46 46

1,000,000 or more 69% 77% 65% 58%

 All sizes 56% 43% 27% 10%

Bomb/

explosives

disposal

Underwater

recovery

Tactical 

operations

(SWAT)

Search 

and 

rescue

Population 

served

Percent of agencies responsible for C

Table 38. Special operations functions of sheriffs’ 

offices, by size of population served, 2003
Community policing

Community policing promotes and

supports organizational strategies to

address the causes and reduce the

fear of crime and social disorder

through problem-solving tactics and

police-community partnerships.

Balancing responses to calls for

service with proactive problem solving,

effective community policing requires

police and citizens to join together in

identifying and addressing underlying

causes of crime and disorder. The

implementation of a community policing plan supports and empowers frontline officers, decentralizes command,

and encourages innovative problem

solving. For more information see the

COPS office website at <http://www.

cops.usdoj.gov>. 

In 2003, 10% of sheriffs' offices, employing 31% of all officers, had a formally

written community policing plan (table

39). This included 54% of the sheriffs'

offices serving a population of 1 million

or more. 

Among the 64% of sheriffs' offices that

had an agency mission statement in

2003, just under half of them, representing 28% of all sheriffs' offices, had

one that included some aspect of

community policing (table 40). These

offices employed 55% of all sworn

personnel.

Community policing training

During the year ending June 30, 2003,

36% of sheriffs' offices, employing 61%

of all officers, trained at least some new

recruits in community policing skills such

as problem-solving; Scanning, Analysis,

Response, Assessment (SARA); and

developing community partnerships

(table 41). 

Twenty-seven percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 51% of all officers,

trained all new recruits in community

policing. The percentage of sheriffs'

offices that trained all recruits ranged

from 72% among those serving 1

million or more residents to 13%

among those serving fewer than

10,000 residents.

Forty-six percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 62% of officers, trained at

least some in-service officers during the

1-year period. Fourteen percent of

sheriffs' offices, employing 14% of all

officers, trained all in-service officers in

community policing.

Twelve percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 26% of nonsworn local

police employees, trained at least

some civilian employees in community

policing during the 1-year period. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 19

Under 10,000 3

10,000-24,999 6

25,000-49,999 13

50,000-99,999 11

100,000-249,999 18

250,000-499,999 20

500,000-999,999 31

1,000,000 or more 54%

 All sizes 10%

Percent of

agencies with

a community 

policing plan 

Population 

served

Table 39. Sheriffs’ offices with a

formal, written community policing

plan, by size of population served,

2003

Under 10,000 44 17 27

10,000-24,999 57 19 39

25,000-49,999 64 31 34

50,000-99,999 75 35 39

100,000-249,999 93 45 48

250,000-499,999 94 52 42

500,000-999,999 93 56 38

1,000,000 or more 92% 69% 23%

 All sizes 64% 28% 36%

No community

policing

component

With a

community

policing 

Total component

Population 

served

Percent of agencies with a mission statement

Table 40. Sheriffs’ offices with a mission statement that

 includes community policing, by size of population served, 2003

*During 1-year period ending June 30, 2003.

Under 10,000 9 4 5

10,000-24,999 12 5 7

25,000-49,999 11 1 10

50,000-99,999 6 1 5

100,000-249,999 15 2 13

250,000-499,999 24 1 23

500,000-999,999 24 2 22

1,000,000 or more 36% 4% 32%

 All sizes 12% 3% 9%

Civilian personnel

Under 10,000 34 13 21

10,000-24,999 43 16 27

25,000-49,999 50 14 36

50,000-99,999 48 12 36

100,000-249,999 51 9 42

250,000-499,999 57 12 45

500,000-999,999 59 14 45

1,000,000 or more 72% 16% 56%

 All sizes 46% 14% 32%

In-service sworn personnel

Under 10,000 21 13 8

10,000-24,999 31 24 7

25,000-49,999 40 29 11

50,000-99,999 44 35 9

100,000-249,999 46 36 10

250,000-499,999 55 46 9

500,000-999,999 67 52 15

1,000,000 or more 84% 72% 12%

 All sizes 36% 27% 9%

New officer recruits

Total All Some

Percent of agencies 

that trained personnel 

for 8 or more hours in 

Population community policing 

served

Table 41. Community policing 

training in sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2003
Community policing personnel

Overall, 51% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 70% of all officers, had fulltime sworn personnel serving as

community policing officers (table 42).

In some jurisdictions these officers are

known as community relations officers,

community resource officers, or some

other name indicative of the community

policing approach they employ. Nationwide, sheriffs' offices employed an

estimated 14,900 community policing

officers or their equivalent. 

A majority of the sheriffs' offices

serving a population of 25,000 or more

had full-time community policing

officers. Those serving a population of

1 million or more employed 137 such

officers on average. Sheriffs' offices

serving fewer than 10,000 residents

employed 4 community policing officers

on average.

In all population categories the percentage of sheriffs' offices using community

policing officers in 2003 was greater

than in 1997, but less than in 2000

(figure 12). In jurisdictions with fewer

than 25,000 residents, the percentage

rose from 15% in 1997 to 63% in 2000,

then dropped to 44% in 2003; in those

with 25,000 to 99,999 residents, from

34% to 56% to 55%; in those with

100,000 to 499,999 residents, from

44% to 70% to 59%; and in those with

500,000 or more residents, from 56%

to 72% to 67%.

An estimated 47% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 74% of all officers, had fulltime sworn personnel assigned as

school resource officers during 2003

(table 43). A majority of the sheriffs'

offices in each population category of

25,000 or more used school resource

officers, including 89% of those in jurisdictions with 1 million or more

residents. 

School resource officers use a community policing approach to provide a safe

environment for students and staff. In

addition to handling calls for service

within the school, they work closely with

school administrators and staff to

prevent crime and disorder by monitoring crime trends, problem areas,

cultural conflicts, and other areas of

concern. 

As of June 2003 sheriffs' offices had an

estimated 5,554 full-time sworn personnel assigned as school resource

officers, about 240 more than in June

2000. The average number of school

resource officers in 2003 ranged from

14 in sheriffs' offices serving 1 million

or more residents, to 2 in those serving

fewer than 25,000 residents.

20 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

*Excludes agencies that did not employ any 

full-time community policing officers.

Under 10,000 42 1,134 4

10,000-24,999 46 2,267 6

25,000-49,999 51 2,375 7

50,000-99,999 63 1,647 7

100,000-249,999 58 2,197 12

250,000-499,999 65 1,428 18

500,000-999,999 64 962 23

1,000,000 or more 73% 2,890 137

 All sizes 51% 14,900 10

Average

number 

of full-time

sworn*

Total 

number

of officers

Percent 

of agencies

using

Population 

served

Community policing officers

Table 42. Full-time community policing officers in

sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

*Excludes agencies that did not employ any 

full-time school resource officers.

Under 10,000 26 320 2

10,000-24,999 45 694 2

25,000-49,999 51 898 3

50,000-99,999 54 749 4

100,000-249,999 66 1,306 6

250,000-499,999 67 748 9

500,000-999,999 71 488 10

1,000,000 or more 89% 351 14

 All sizes 47% 5,554 4

Average

number 

of full-time

sworn*

Total

number

of officers

Percent 

of agencies

using

Population

served

School resource officers

Table 43. Full-time school resource officers in sheriffs’

offices, by size of population served, 2003

Population served

Percent of agencies

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

1997

2003

Percent of sheriffs' offices using full-time

community policing officers, 1997, 2000 and 2003

2000

Figure 12
Community policing policies 

and programs

In order to hire officers more suited to

community policing, 23% percent of

sheriff’s offices, employing 31% of all

officers, assessed recruits’ analytical

and problem-solving abilities during the

selection process (table 44). Ten percent of offices, employing 10% of

officers, assessed recruits’ understanding of culturally diverse populations.

Five percent of them, employing 4% of

officers, assessed mediation skills and

ability to manage interpersonal conflicts.

Forty-three percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 66% of officers, gave patrol

officers responsibility for specific

geographic areas or beats during 2003

(table 45). This included a majority of

the sheriffs' offices serving a population

of 25,000 or more.

Eighteen percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 37% of all officers, actively

encouraged patrol officers to become

involved in problem-solving projects.

Ten percent of offices, employing 27%

of officers, included participation in

collaborative problem-solving projects

in performance evaluation criteria. This

included about 30% of those serving

500,000 or more residents. 

An estimated 36% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 59% of all officers,

enhanced their proactive role in solving

community problems by partnering with

citizen groups to elicit feedback for the

development of community policing

strategies (table 46). This included

more than three-fifths of the sheriffs'

offices serving a population of 500,000

or more and about half of those serving

populations of 50,000 to 249,999. 

Nineteen percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 45% of all officers, offered

training to citizens on community policing topics such as community mobilization and problem-solving during the

12-month period ending June 30, 2003.

Seventeen percent of offices, employing 40% of all officers, upgraded

technology during 2003 to support their

community policing efforts. This included more than 4 in 10 offices

serving 250,000 or more residents.

Twelve percent of all sheriffs' offices,

employing 41% of all officers,

conducted a citizen police academy

during the year ending June 30, 2003.

Sixty-two percent of sheriffs' offices

serving a population of 1 million or

more conducted citizen academies

during this period, as did more than

one-third of those serving 100,000 to

999,999 residents. 

About 6 in 10 sheriffs' offices, including

about 8 in 10 offices serving 250,000 

or more residents, had problem-solving

partnerships or written agreements with

community groups, local agencies, or

others during the year ending June 30,

2003. Sheriffs' offices having partnerships or written agreements employed

78% of all officers.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 21

Under 10,000 44 20 6 10 2

10,000-24,999 58 29 12 15 4

25,000-49,999 60 41 19 13 7

50,000-99,999 64 48 32 23 20

100,000-249,999 74 55 33 23 36

250,000-499,999 79 41 30 44 38

500,000-999,999 78 62 41 45 45

1,000,000 or more 81% 65% 58% 46% 62%

 All sizes 59% 36% 19% 17% 12%

Conducted

citizen police

academy

Upgraded

technology

to support

community

policing

 

Trained

citizens in

community

policing

Partnered

with citizen

groups to

elicit

feedback

Problemsolving

partnerships

or written

agreements

Population

served

Activities in year ending June 30, 2003

Table 46. Community policing activities of sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 20 14 5

10,000-24,999 34 18 7

25,000-49,999 51 12 7

50,000-99,999 56 16 14

100,000-249,999 61 24 16

250,000-499,999 60 36 16

500,000-999,999 64 42 30

1,000,000 or more 73% 46% 31%

 All sizes 43% 18% 10%

 Included in

 evaluation

Actively 

encouraged

Population

served

Patrol officer involvement 

in problem-solving projects

Geographic

assignments

for patrol 

officers

Table 45. Community policing policies

 for sworn personnel in sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 20 15 5

10,000-24,999 24 7 4

25,000-49,999 23 9 6

50,000-99,999 26 8 4

100,000-249,999 21 11 8

250,000-499,999 24 7 5

500,000-999,999 27 17 11

1,000,000 or more 46% 21% 7%

 All sizes 23% 10% 5%

Mediation

skills/conflict

management

Understanding of

culturally diverse

populations

Analytical 

problemsolving ability

Population

served

Percent of agencies using C

Table 44. Ability assessments related to community 

policing used by sheriffs’ offices for selecting new officers,

 by size of population served, 2003
Sheriffs' offices had partnerships or

written agreements with a wide variety

of groups. Half or more of all officers

worked for a department that had

partnerships or agreements with other

law enforcement agencies (65%), local

public agencies (55%), school groups

(54%), or neighborhood associations

(50%) (figure 13).

About 4 in 10 officers worked for an

agency that had problem-solving

partnerships or written agreements with

advocacy groups (43%), senior citizen

groups (43%), or youth service organizations (37%). About a third worked for

an agency having arrangements with

business groups, and a quarter were

employed by an office that had partnerships or written agreements with faithbased organizations. 

Sixteen percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 37% of all officers, surveyed

citizens in their jurisdiction during the

year ending June 30, 2003 (table 47).

Eleven percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 31% of all officers, surveyed

citizens regarding their satisfaction with

police services. About a third of

sheriffs' offices serving 500,000 or

more conducted citizen satisfaction

surveys.

Seven percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 24% of all officers, surveyed

citizens regarding their perceptions of

crime problems; 9%, employing 22% 

of all officers, surveyed citizens regarding crime reporting; and 5%, employing

18% of all officers, surveyed citizens

about their personal crime experiences.

A majority of the sheriffs' offices

conducting surveys used the data to

evaluate agency performance (69%),

provide information to officers (63%), 

or evaluate officer performance (53%)

(figure 14). Other common uses

included evaluating program effectiveness (48%), allocating resources to

neighborhoods (45%), prioritizing crime

and disorder problems (42%), and

training development (34%). 

22 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Faith-based organizations

Business groups

Youth service organizations

Senior citizen groups

Advocacy groups 

Neighborhood associations

School groups

Local public agencies

Other law enforcement agencies

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Percent of sheriffs' officers employed by

Type of group

Groups with which sheriffs' offices had problem-solving partnerships

agencies partnering with each type of group

or written agreements during the year ending June 30, 2003

Figure 13

Under 10,000 9 4 7 2 3

10,000-24,999 13 9 6 6 5

25,000-49,999 15 8 10 4 4

50,000-99,999 12 11 3 3 2

100,000-249,999 37 29 17 22 12

250,000-499,999 24 21 10 14 10

500,000-999,999 41 33 17 27 15

1,000,000 or more 35% 31% 27% 23% 15%

 All sizes 16% 11% 9% 7% 5%

Personal

crime

experiences

Perceptions

of crime

problems

Reporting of

crimes to law

enforcement

Satisfaction

with services

Any

topic

Population

served

Percent of agencies that surveyed citizens during

12-month period ending June 30, 2003 regarding —

Table 47. Surveying of citizens by sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2003

Figure 14

Redistrict beats/reporting areas

Training development

Prioritize crime/disorder problems

Allocate resources to neighborhoods

Evaluate program effectiveness

Evaluate officer performance

Provide information to patrol officers

Evaluate agency performance

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Percent of agencies that surveyed citizens

Uses of citizen survey information by sheriffs' offices, 2003
Policies and procedures

Sheriffs' offices typically have numerous written policies and procedures to

structure officer discretion and decision

making. These policies and procedures

guide officers through their diverse

work activities.

Special populations

Eighty-three percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 92% of all officers, had

written policies or procedures for

handling juveniles. This included all

offices serving a population of 1 million

or more residents, and more than 90%

of those serving 100,000 to 999,999

residents (table 48). 

A majority of sheriffs' offices had

written policies or procedures on

responding to the mentally ill (67%).

These sheriffs' offices employed 82%

of all officers. Twenty-three percent of

local sheriffs' offices, employing 27% 

of officers, had policies or procedures

for interactions with homeless persons.

Work-related policies

Fifty-two percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 70% of all officers, had a

written policy on the maximum number

of hours that officers can work (table

49). Eighty-three percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 96% of all officers,

had a written policy pertaining to 

off-duty employment by officers. This

included all sheriffs' offices serving 1

million or more residents, and nearly 

all of those serving a population of

50,000 to 999,999.

Use of force

Ninety-seven percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 99% of all officers,

had a written policy pertaining to the

use of deadly force (table 50). All

sheriffs' offices serving 50,000 or more

residents, and 99% of those serving

25,000 to 49,999 residents, had such 

a policy.

Eighty-nine percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 97% of all officers, had a

written policy pertaining to the use of

nonlethal force. This included at least

94% of the offices in each population

category of 25,000 or more.

Officer conduct and appearance

Ninety-three percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 99% of officers, had a

written code of officer conduct and

appearance. This included all sheriffs'

offices serving 100,000 or more

residents (table 51). Eighty-seven

percent of sheriffs' offices, employing

97% of officers, had a written policy

covering off-duty conduct.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 23

Under 10,000 45 62

10,000-24,999 47 82

25,000-49,999 52 85

50,000-99,999 58 94

100,000-249,999 63 95

250,000-499,999 61 99

500,000-999,999 76 97

1,000,000 or more 77% 100%

 All sizes 52% 83%

Off-duty 

employment

Maximum 

work hours

Population

served

Percent of agencies 

with a written policy on C

Table 49. Work-related policies in sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 76 57 24

10,000-24,999 79 60 22

25,000-49,999 86 72 18

50,000-99,999 81 71 27

100,000-249,999 95 79 25

250,000-499,999 91 82 20

500,000-999,999 95 88 25

1,000,000 or more 100% 89% 46%

 All sizes 83% 67% 23%

Homeless

persons

Mentally ill 

Juveniles persons

Population

served

Percent of agencies with a 

written policy for handling C

Table 48. Policies on handling special populations in sheriffs’

offices, by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 90 72

10,000-24,999 95 88

25,000-49,999 99 94

50,000-99,999 100 97

100,000-249,999 100 99

250,000-499,999 100 100

500,000-999,999 100 97

1,000,000 or more 100% 100%

 All sizes 97% 89%

Nonlethal forceDeadly 

force 

Population

served

Percent of agencies 

with a written policy on C

Table 50. Policies on officer use 

of force in sheriffs’ offices, by size of

population served, 2003

Under 10,000 85 71

10,000-24,999 91 87

25,000-49,999 95 91

50,000-99,999 98 95

100,000-249,999 100 94

250,000-499,999 100 100

500,000-999,999 100 98

1,000,000 or more 100% 100%

 All sizes 93% 87%

Off-duty

conduct

Conduct and

appearance

Population

served

Percent of agencies 

with a written policy on C

Table 51. Written policy directives

pertaining to officer conduct and

appearance in sheriffs’ offices, by size

of population served, 2003
Vehicle-related policies

Ninety-two percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 83% of officers, allowed

officers to take marked vehicles home

(table 52). Twenty-two percent of

sheriffs' offices allowed officers to use

the vehicle for personal errands.

Ninety-five percent of sheriffs' offices

had a written policy governing pursuit

driving (table 53). Fifty-one percent of

them, employing 64% of officers, had a

policy restricting pursuits according to

specific criteria such as type of offense

or maximum speed. Thirty-four percent

of sheriffs' offices, employing 25% of

officers, had a judgmental pursuit

policy, one that leaves pursuit decisions

to the officer’s discretion. Seven

percent of sheriffs' offices, employing

4% of all officers, had a policy that

discouraged pursuits.

Additional policies

More than 8 in 10 sheriffs' offices had

written policies dealing with domestic

disputes (86%), citizen complaints

(82%), and strip searches (81%) (table

54). Offices with these types of policies

employed about 9 in 10 officers.

Seventy-one percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 91% of all officers, had

written policies about interactions with

the media. This included all sheriffs'

offices serving 1 million or more

residents, and more than 90% of those

serving 100,000 or more residents.

Sixty-three percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 73% of all officers, had

written policies pertaining to racial

profiling by officers. This included 89%

of agencies serving 1 million or more

residents.

Fifty-four percent of sheriffs' offices,

serving 81% of all officers, had a

written policy pertaining to employee

counseling. All offices serving 1 million

or more residents had such a policy.

Forty-eight percent of sheriffs' offices

had a written plan specifying the

actions to be taken in the event of

terrorist attacks. This included about 9

in 10 sheriffs' offices serving a population of 500,000 or more and more than

half of those serving 50,000 to 499,999

residents. Agencies having a written

plan specifying the response to terrorist

events employed 72% of all officers in

2003.

24 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Under 10,000 81 74 73 52 68 38 40

10,000-24,999 87 76 78 68 59 47 41

25,000-49,999 86 81 83 72 59 49 41

50,000-99,999 84 90 87 81 57 69 56

100,000-249,999 92 92 88 90 70 71 62

250,000-499,999 94 93 89 96 62 88 70

500,000-999,999 92 98 86 98 78 95 87

1,000,000 or more 96% 100% 100% 100% 89% 100% 96%

 All sizes 86% 82% 81% 71% 63% 54% 48%

Response

to terrorism

Employee

counseling 

Racial

profiling

Interacting

with the

media

Strip

searches

Citizen

complaints

Domestic

disputes

Population

served

Percent of agencies with a written policy on C

Table 54. Additional written policy directives of sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 99 23 76

10,000-24,999 94 18 76

25,000-49,999 95 22 73

50,000-99,999 87 29 58

100,000-249,999 81 21 60

250,000-499,999 78 28 50

500,000-999,999 70 19 51

1,000,000 or more 65% 8% 57%

 All sizes 92% 22% 70%

Total Allowed Not allowed

Population Personal use

served

Percent of agencies allowing officers

to take marked vehicles home

 

Table 52. Vehicle use policies in sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2003

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.

Under 10,000 89 38 40 8 4

10,000-24,999 95 50 35 7 4

25,000-49,999 98 52 39 5 2

50,000-99,999 96 53 36 3 4

100,000-249,999 99 71 15 11 3

250,000-499,999 98 66 20 8 5

500,000-999,999 95 49 38 5 3

1,000,000 or more 96% 77% 8% 0% 12%

 All sizes 95% 51% 34% 7% 4%

Other

DiscourRestrictive Judgmental agement

Total 

with policy

Population

served

Percent of agencies with a written policy on pursuit driving

Table 53. Pursuit driving policies of sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2003
Equipment

Sidearms

In 2003 nearly all sheriffs' offices

authorized patrol officers to carry one

or more types of semiautomatic

sidearms (table 55). A fifth (21%) of

them authorized revolvers.

The most common sidearm was the

.40-caliber semiautomatic, authorized

by 62% of all sheriffs' offices, employing

62% of all officers. About a third of

sheriffs' offices authorized 9mm and

.45-caliber semiautomatics. Other

semiautomatic sidearms authorized

included the .357-caliber (17%), the

10mm (9%), and the .380-caliber (3%).

Twenty-one percent of sheriffs' offices, 

employing 11% of officers, had a policy

that authorized officers to carry any of

the above semiautomatic sidearms,

provided the officer qualifies with the

weapon on a firing range.

Seventy percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 75% of all officers, supplied

field officers with their primary sidearm.

Three percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 3% of all officers, provided 

a cash allowance for sidearms.

Body armor

In 2003, 70% of sheriffs' offices,

employing 76% of all officers, required

field officers to wear protective body

armor at least some of the time while 

on duty (table 56). 

Fifty-five percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 55% of all officers, required

field officers to wear body armor at all

times while on duty. Fifteen percent of

sheriffs' offices, employing 21% of

officers, required officers to wear body

armor in certain high-risk circumstances, such as when serving

warrants.

Eighty-eight percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 90% of all officers, supplied

armor to officers and 2% provided a

cash allowance.

From 1990 to 2003 the percentage of

officers employed by a department with

some type of body armor requirement

for field officers increased from 30% 

to 76% (figure 15). During the same

period the percentage employed by a

department with a requirement for all

field officers in all circumstances rose

from 23% to 55%.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 25

Under 10,000 31

10,000-24,999 18

25,000-49,999 19

50,000-99,999 15

100,000-249,999 5

250,000-499,999 7

500,000-999,999 16

1,000,000 or more 8%

All sizes 21%

Percent authorizing 

any semiautomatic 

if officer qualiifies

Population

served

Figure 15

Note: Some sheriffs' offices authorized more than 1 type of sidearm.

a

Rounded from less than 100%.

Under 10,000 100 52 41 32 18 7 3

10,000-24,999 99 64 32 28 18 9 1

25,000-49,999 99 64 33 33 16 11 2

50,000-99,999 100 60 34 36 12 6 3

100,000-249,999 100 72 33 29 15 11 3

250,000-499,999 100 73 29 40 22 13 6

500,000-999,999 97 61 46 51 26 5 8

1,000,000 or more 100% 65% 62% 77% 46% 8% 19%

 All sizes 100%a 62% 35% 33% 17% 9% 3%

Total .40 .45 9mm .357 10mm .380

Population Percent of agencies authorizing semiautomatic sidearms

served

Table 55. Semiautomatic sidearms authorized for use by sworn

personnel in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 61 37 24

10,000-24,999 69 54 15

25,000-49,999 72 61 11

50,000-99,999 73 66 7

100,000-249,999 86 74 12

250,000-499,999 79 49 30

500,000-999,999 75 56 19

1,000,000 or more 73% 58% 15%

 All sizes 70% 55% 15%

In some

circumstances

At all

Total times

Population 

served

Percent of agencies requiring field

officers to wear armor while on duty

Table 56. Body armor requirements for 

field officers in sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Any type of

requirement

Body armor requirements in sheriffs' offices, 1990-2003

All officers

required to

wear armor

Percent of officers employed by agencies

1990 1993 1997 2000 2003

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

requiring officers to wear armor
Nonlethal weapons 

In 2003 nearly all sheriffs' offices authorized officers to use one or more types 

of nonlethal weapons. Chemical agents,

such as pepper spray, were the most

commonly authorized (table 57).

Ninety-six percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 98% of all officers, authorized the use of pepper spray. This

included all offices serving 250,000 or

more residents. 

Batons were also commonly authorized,

with 92% of all sheriffs' offices allowing

their use. Sheriffs' offices authorizing

one or more types of batons employed

96% of all officers. Collapsible batons

(87%) were authorized by many more

offices than traditional (44%) or PR-24

(34%) batons. About 9 in 10 officers

nationwide worked for a department

authorizing collapsible batons (91%)

while less than half worked for one

authorizing traditional (48%) or PR-24

(39%) batons. 

An estimated 32% of sheriffs' offices

employing 54% of all officers, authorized the use of soft projectiles. This

included a majority of the sheriffs'

offices serving a population of 500,000

or more. 

Thirty percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 47% of all officers, authorized electrical devices such as stun

guns and tasers. This included 58% of

sheriffs' offices serving a population of

500,000 to 999,999 residents.

Eleven percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 23% of all officers, authorized the use of carotid holds, choke

holds, or neck restraints. 

From 1990 to 2003 in all population

categories, there were large increases

in the percentage of sheriffs' offices

authorizing chemical agents (figure 16).

These increases were as follows: 

500,000 or more residents, 65% to

100%; 100,000 to 499,999 residents,

59% to 99%; 25,000 to 99,999

residents, 52% to 99%; under 25,000

residents, 49% to 95%. 

In 2003, 99% of officers were employed

by a department that authorized chemical agents, compared to 63% in 1990.

26 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Figure 16

-- Less than 0.5%. 

*

Includes hand-held direct contact devices (such as stun gun) and hand-held stand-off devices (such as taser).

Under 10,000 90 90 17 14 88 80 41 34 17 23 6 10 7 2

10,000-24,999 97 97 19 18 91 87 40 32 22 24 9 14 4 2

25,000-49,999 98 98 18 19 91 86 43 35 31 23 12 10 2 1

50,000-99,999 98 98 32 25 93 92 56 36 55 49 22 8 1 0

100,000-249,999 99 98 21 22 94 92 43 27 48 43 16 9 0 0

250,000-499,999 100 100 27 16 98 90 50 44 46 41 16 14 3 1

500,000-999,999 100 100 20 19 98 92 48 38 51 58 20 17 0 0

1,000,000 or more 100% 100% 23% 27% 100% 100% 69% 31% 73% 46% 31% 39% 15% 0%

 All sizes 96% 96% 21% 19% 92% 87% 44% 34% 32% 30% 12% 11% 3% 1%

High

intensity

light

Blackjack

Holds/

Neck 

restraints

Rubber

bullet

Electrical 

devices*

Soft

projec-

 PR-24 tile

 

Tradi-

 tional 

Collap-

 sible

Any

type in 

survey

 

CS

 

Tear

gas

Pepper

spray

Any 

type in

survey

Population

served

Chemical agents — personal use Batons Other weapons/actions

Percent of agencies authorizing —

Table 57. Types of nonlethal weapons authorized for personal use by sworn personnel

 in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent of agencies

Sheriffs' offices authorizing deputies

2003

Population served

1990

to use chemical agents, 1990 and 2003
Vehicles

Nationwide, sheriffs' offices operated

about 118,000 cars, or about 66 cars

per 100 sworn personnel (table 58). By

population category, the ratio of cars to

officers was lowest in jurisdictions with

1 million or more residents C 44 cars

per 100 officers. It ranged from 68 to

84 cars per 100 officers in other

population categories.

A third of the cars operated by sheriffs'

offices were unmarked. The percentage

of cars that were unmarked ranged

from 47% in jurisdictions with a population of 500,000 to 999,999 to 17% in

jurisdictions with fewer than 10,000

residents.

In addition to cars 84% of sheriffs'

offices used other 4-wheel motorized

vehicles such as sport utility vehicles,

trucks, or vans (table 59). This included

more than 9 in 10 sheriffs' offices in

jurisdictions serving 100,000 or more

residents. Overall, there were about

28,000 such vehicles operated, or

about 16 per 100 sworn personnel

employed.

Fourteen percent of sheriffs' offices

used motorcycles during 2003, including about 7 in 10 offices serving a

population of 500,000 or more. Nationwide, sheriffs’ offices operated about

2,300 motorcycles, or about 1 for every

100 officers employed.

Sixteen percent of all sheriffs' offices

were using bicycles as of June 2003,

with about 3,400 operated nationwide

(table 60). Overall, sheriffs’ offices had

about 2 bicycles for every 100 sworn

personnel.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 27

*Part-time officers are included with a weight of .5 assigned.

Under 10,000 3,180 76 17

10,000-24,999 11,038 79 21

25,000-49,999 15,952 84 25

50,000-99,999 15,233 72 21

100,000-249,999 23,030 69 32

250,000-499,999 16,593 70 38

500,000-999,999 15,620 68 47

1,000,000 or more 17,697 44 39%

 All sizes 118,343 66 33%

Per 100

Total officers*

Population 

served

Percent of 

cars that

were unmarked

Number of cars

Table 58. Number of cars operated by sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2003

*Part-time officers are included with a weight of .5 assigned. 

Under 10,000 69 1,372 33 3 34 1

10,000-24,999 84 2,770 20 6 101 1

25,000-49,999 86 3,536 19 10 124 1

50,000-99,999 89 3,513 17 20 211 1

100,000-249,999 95 4,929 15 35 427 1

250,000-499,999 92 3,482 15 39 391 2

500,000-999,999 93 3,060 13 70 342 2

1,000,000 or more 100% 5,119 13 73% 677 2

 All sizes 84% 27,781 16 14% 2,306 1

Per 100

Total officers*

Per 100

Total officers*

Population 

served

 Percent Number operated

 of agencies

 using

Percent of Number operated

agencies

using

Motorcycles

4-wheel motorized vehicles 

other than cars

Table 59. Number of motorcycles and 4-wheel motorized vehicles other than cars

operated by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

*Part-time officers are included with a weight of .5 assigned. 

Under 10,000 2 24 1

10,000-24,999 10 238 2

25,000-49,999 11 194 1

50,000-99,999 22 350 2

100,000-249,999 34 588 2

250,000-499,999 42 417 2

500,000-999,999 58 440 2

1,000,000 or more 81% 1,103 3

 All sizes 16% 3,354 2

Per 100

Total officers*

Population 

served

 Percent Number of bicycles

 of agencies

 using bicycles

Table 60. Number of bicycles operated by sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003
Off-land vehicles

A third of sheriffs' offices, employing

62% of all officers, operated at least

one boat during 2003 (table 61). This

included a majority of those serving

50,000 or more residents. Nationwide,

local police operated about 2,800

boats. 

Four percent of sheriffs' offices, employing 26% of all officers, used helicopters.

Half of sheriffs' offices serving 1 million

or more residents operated helicopters.

There were an estimated 260 helicopters in use by sheriffs’ offices nationwide during 2003.

Four percent of sheriffs' offices operated

at least one fixed-wing aircraft, with an

estimated total of 160 in use nationwide. 

About a third of sheriffs' offices serving

1 million or more residents operated at

least 1 airplane. Sheriffs' offices using

airplanes employed 21% of all officers.

Animals

Fifty-five percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 79% of all officers, used

dogs for law enforcement activities

(table 62). This included more 80% of

those serving 250,000 or more

residents. Overall, about 4,100 dogs

were maintained by sheriffs' offices in

2003.

About 4% of sheriffs' offices, employing

15% of all officers, used horses for law

enforcement purposes, including 31%

of those serving 1 million or more

residents. Sheriffs' offices collectively

maintained approximately 1,600

horses.

Video cameras

Two-thirds of all sheriffs' offices used

video cameras on a regular basis

during the year ending June 30, 2003

(table 63). Agencies regularly using

video cameras employed 74% of all

officers. 

Video cameras were most commonly

used in patrol cars (58%). An estimated

total of 17,700 in-car cameras were in

use by sheriffs’ offices during 2003.

The average number ranged from 52 

in the largest jurisdictions to 4 in the

smallest, with an overall average of 10. 

Nineteen percent of sheriffs' offices

used video cameras for fixed-site

surveillance. Among sheriffs' offices

using such cameras, the average

number in use ranged from 6 in the

smallest jurisdictions to about 80 in the

largest. 

Ten percent of sheriffs' offices used

video cameras for traffic enforcement.

The average number in use ranged

from 4 in the smallest jurisdictions to 

18 in the largest.

Eleven percent of sheriffs' offices used

video cameras for mobile surveillance,

with the average number in use ranging

from about 2 among sheriffs' offices

serving fewer than 1 million residents,

to 10 among sheriffs' offices serving 1

million or more residents. 

28 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

--Less than 0.5%.

Under 10,000 10 1 2

10,000-24,999 28 1 1

25,000-49,999 33 2 2

50,000-99,999 55 2 7

100,000-249,999 53 8 3

250,000-499,999 56 21 15

500,000-999,999 56 22 24

1,000,000 or more 62% 50% 35%

 All sizes 33% 4% 4%

 Air-

 planes

 HeliBoats coptersPopulation

served

Percent of agencies with —

Table 61. Off-land vehicles 

operated by sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

--Less than 0.5%.

Under 10,000 33 1

10,000-24,999 54 2

25,000-49,999 53 3

50,000-99,999 65 6

100,000-249,999 74 8

250,000-499,999 83 16

500,000-999,999 85 17

1,000,000 or more 89% 31%

 All sizes 55% 4%

Dogs Horses

Population Percent of agencies with —

served

Table 62. Animals maintained 

by sheriffs’ offices, by size

of population served, 2003

*Excludes agencies that did not use video cameras in particular application.

Under 10,000 62 59 4 17 6 8 4 10 2

10,000-24,999 65 57 6 22 10 6 5 9 2

25,000-49,999 67 61 9 16 25 9 8 12 2

50,000-99,999 70 60 11 26 25 14 4 12 2

100,000-249,999 69 59 21 14 21 16 4 10 2

250,000-499,999 69 51 31 24 44 18 8 17 3

500,000-999,999 66 51 27 29 83 10 7 17 2

1,000,000 or more 69% 50% 52 15% 77 23% 18 27% 10

 All sizes 66% 58% 10 19% 20 10% 6 11% 2

 Average

 number*

 Percent

 using

 Average

 number*

 Percent

 using

 Average

 number*

 Percent

 using

 Average

 number*

 Percent

 using

 Mobile

 surveillance

 Traffic

 enforcement

 Fixed-site

In patrol cars surveillance

Percent of

agencies

regularly using

video cameras

Population

served

Percent of agencies using video cameras and the average number used 

Table 63. Use of video cameras by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003
From 2000 to 2003 sheriffs' offices in

all population categories increased

their use of video cameras in patrol

cars (figure 17). In jurisdictions with a

population of 500,000 or more, 51% 

of sheriffs' offices were using video

cameras in 2003 compared to 35% in

2000. The increases in other categories were as follows: 100,000 to

499,999 residents, from 51% to 57%,

25,000 to 99,999 residents, from 45%

to 61%, under 25,000 residents, from

32% to 58%. 

Special technologies

Thirty-five percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 54% of all officers, used

infrared (thermal) imagers on a regular

basis (table 64). This included 57% of

offices serving 1 million or more

residents.

Thirteen percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 26% of all officers, used

image intensifiers. Laser range finders

were used regularly by 11% of all

offices, employing 25% of all officers. 

Tire deflation spikes were used

regularly by 48% of all sheriffs' offices,

employing 69% of all officers. This

included a majority of the offices

serving a population of 25,000 or more.

Five percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 29% of all officers, used

stolen vehicle tracking technology on a

regular basis. This included 62% of the

sheriffs' offices serving 1 million or

more residents. 

Electrical/engine disruption technology

was used by 1% of all sheriffs' offices,

employing 2% of all officers. 

About three-quarters (74%) of sheriffs'

offices, employing 90% of all officers,

regularly used digital imaging technology for mug shots. This included more

than 70% of the sheriffs' offices in each

population category of 10,000 or more.

About half (48%) of sheriffs' offices,

employing 81% of all officers, regularly

used digital imaging technology for

fingerprints. This included a majority of

the offices serving 50,000 or more

residents.

A quarter of sheriffs' offices, employing

52% of all officers, used digital imaging

technology for suspect composites. 

A majority of the offices serving 1

million or more residents, and about

half of those serving 50,000 to

999,999, used it for this purpose. 

Digital imaging technology for facial

recognition was used by 6% of sheriffs'

offices, including 27% of those serving

1 million or more residents. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 29

Figure 17

-- Less than 0.5%.

Under 10,000 21 14 4 29 1 0 55 23 6 2

10,000-24,999 30 9 8 40 3 0 72 36 14 5

25,000-49,999 35 11 12 52 4 0 77 49 24 6

50,000-99,999 53 16 19 66 5 1 90 67 48 12

100,000-249,999 48 18 16 66 10 2 84 82 48 9

250,000-499,999 43 18 23 58 24 0 90 79 49 9

500,000-999,999 46 20 27 56 25 0 88 90 48 8

1,000,000 or more 57% 27% 35% 65% 62% 12% 96% 89% 58% 27%

 All sizes 35% 13% 11% 48% 5% 1% 74% 48% 25% 6%

Facial

recognition

Suspect

composites

Fingerprints Mug

 shots

 Electrical/

 engine

 disruption

 Stolen 

 vehicle 

 tracking

 Tire 

 deflation 

 spikes

 

 Laser 

 range 

 finders

 Image 

 intensi-

 fiers

 Infrared 

 (thermal) 

 imagers

Population

served

Night vision/electro-optic Vehicle stopping/tracking Digital imaging

Percent of agencies using —

Table 64. Special technologies used by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Percent of agencies

Sheriffs' offices using video cameras

in patrol cars, 2000 and 2003

2003

Population served

2000
Computers and information systems

Computer functions

Sheriffs' offices used computers for a

wide variety of functions in 2003. For

example, 81% of all sheriffs' offices

used computers for Internet access

(table 65). Sheriffs' offices using

computers for Internet access

employed 84% of all officers in 2003.

Nearly 3 times as many sheriffs' offices

used computers for Internet access in

2003 (81%) as in 1997 (31%).

During 2003, 67% of all sheriffs' offices,

employing 77% of all officers, used

computers for records management.

Sixty percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 64% of all officers, used

computers for automated booking.

Fifty-one percent of offices used

computers for crime investigations.

Those using computers for this

purpose employed 65% of all officers. 

Half of sheriffs' offices used computers

to aid the dispatching of calls for

service. A majority of sheriffs' offices

serving a population of 25,000 or more

had computer-aided dispatch, and 68%

of all officers worked for such an

agency.

Forty-six percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 65% of all officers, used

computers to maintain personnel

records. 

Thirty-four percent of offices, employing

56% of all officers, used computers for

interagency information sharing.

Twenty-seven percent of offices used

computers for fleet management, and

13% used them for resource allocation.

In addition to these general uses of

computers, many sheriffs' offices use

computers in an analytic capacity. For

example, 34% of offices, employing

41% of all officers, used computers for

the collection of data on traffic stops

(table 66).

About a third of sheriffs' offices,

employing about half of all officers,

used computers for intelligence gathering in 2003. This included nearly

two-thirds of the offices serving 1

million or more residents.

About a quarter (26%) of sheriffs'

offices, employing half of all officers,

used computers for crime analysis. This

included 62% of the offices serving 1

million or more residents.

In 2003, 14% of sheriffs' offices, including more than half of those serving 1

million or more residents, used computers in conjunction with crime mapping.

Sheriffs' offices using computers for

crime mapping purposes employed

39% of all officers in 2003.

Seven percent of sheriffs' offices used

computers to identify crime hotspots.

Offices using computers for this

purpose employed 24% of all officers.

30 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Under 10,000 77 53 42 36 29 31 21 10 5

10,000-24,999 79 63 64 49 49 41 32 22 12

25,000-49,999 88 78 63 57 51 48 33 33 10

50,000-99,999 84 74 72 58 69 58 42 30 19

100,000-249,999 81 71 66 61 64 55 49 41 21

250,000-499,999 79 68 48 50 64 63 53 50 28

500,000-999,999 83 73 68 60 59 68 57 56 25

1,000,000 or more 81% 73% 62% 73% 73% 69% 69% 62% 50%

 All sizes 81% 67% 60% 51% 50% 46% 34% 27% 13%

Resource 

allocation

 Fleet

 management

Interagency 

information

sharing

Personnel

Dispatch records

Crime 

investigations

 

Automated

booking

Records

management

 

Internet

access

Population

served

Percent of agencies using computers for —

Table 65. General functions of computers in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 30 22 11 2 3

10,000-24,999 35 33 25 13 7

25,000-49,999 32 41 24 11 4

50,000-99,999 32 40 36 25 11

100,000-249,999 36 32 39 24 8

250,000-499,999 37 44 46 30 20

500,000-999,999 43 49 42 32 25

1,000,000 or more 50% 65% 62% 54% 31%

 All sizes 34% 34% 26% 14% 7%

Hotspot

identification

 Crime

 mapping

Crime

analysis

Intelligence

gathering

Traffic 

stop data 

collection

Population

served

Percent of agencies using computers for —

Table 66. Analytic functions of computers in sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2003
Computerized files

In 2003 a majority of sheriffs' offices

were maintaining computerized files on

incident reports (76%), arrests (75%),

warrants (74%), calls for service (62%),

stolen property (61%), and traffic

citations (53%) (table 67). All of these

types of information were maintained in

a computerized format by a majority of

the offices in each population category of

25,000 or more.

Nearly half of all sheriffs' offices

maintained computerized files on traffic

accidents (48%), summonses (47%),

and criminal histories (46%) (table 68).

About 4 in 10 offices maintained

computer files on traffic stops (38%). 

About 3 in 10 sheriffs' offices

maintained computerized information

on alarms (30%) and use-of-force

incidents (29%). 

Twenty-one percent of offices

maintained computerized files on

fingerprints. This included a majority of

the offices serving a population of

500,000 or more.

Ten percent of sheriffs' offices

maintained computer files on intelligence related to terrorism in 2003. This

included about 3 in 10 sheriffs' offices

serving a population of 500,000 or

more, and a fifth of those serving

250,000 to 499,999 residents. 

Overall, fewer than 1 in 10 sheriffs'

offices had computerized files on illegal

attempts to purchase firearms (6%), or

biometric data for use in facial recognition (2%).

Less than half of sworn personnel

worked for a sheriff’s office with

computer files on fingerprints (49%),

traffic stops (49%), use-of-force

incidents (45%), intelligence related to

terrorism (22%), illegal attempts to

purchase firearms (7%), or biometric

data for facial recognition (4%). A

majority of sworn personnel worked for

a sheriffs’ office that had computer files

on all other types of information

included in the 2003 LEMAS survey. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 31

Under 10,000 60 56 52 49 46 41

10,000-24,999 77 76 74 56 62 46

25,000-49,999 84 85 85 70 72 61

50,000-99,999 79 81 79 73 69 55

100,000-249,999 81 81 83 75 63 69

250,000-499,999 77 78 82 65 57 58

500,000-999,999 72 74 85 66 52 66

1,000,000 or more 73% 69% 77% 65% 50% 58%

 All sizes 76% 75% 74% 62% 61% 53%

Traffic 

citations

Stolen 

property

Calls for 

service

 

Warrants

 

Arrests

Incident

reports

Population 

served

Percent of agencies maintaining

computerized information files on —

Table 67. Types of computerized information files maintained by more than

half of sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 40 32 34 26 14 16 8 4 5 1

10,000-24,999 45 47 45 35 19 25 18 9 4 2

25,000-49,999 51 58 42 41 32 35 19 11 7 1

50,000-99,999 53 49 58 40 49 28 25 11 10 1

100,000-249,999 54 52 62 56 51 44 40 13 9 1

250,000-499,999 55 45 55 45 44 40 41 21 6 7

500,000-999,999 44 53 59 49 56 54 56 29 10 2

1,000,000 or more 50% 39% 54% 42% 46% 39% 73% 31% 4% 12%

 All sizes 48% 47% 46% 38% 30% 29% 21% 10% 6% 2%

Biometric

data for

facial

recognition

Illegal

attempts to

purchase

firearms

Intelligence

related to

terrorism

 Finger-

 prints

Useof- force 

Alarms incidents

Traffic

stops

Criminal 

histories

SummonsesTraffic 

accidents

Population 

served

Percent of agencies maintaining

computerized information files on —

Table 68. Types of computerized information files maintained by less than half 

of sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003
Use of computers in the field

A majority of sheriffs' offices in each

population category of 25,000 or more

used mobile computers or terminals in

the field during 2003, including more

than 90% of those serving 500,000 or

more residents (table 69). Overall 55%

of offices, employing 81% of all sworn

personnel, were using infield computers or terminals. 

Thirty-three percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 62% of all officers, used

vehicle-mounted computers in 2003.

This included a majority of those

serving 100,000 or more residents. 

Vehicle-mounted laptop computers

were used by 25% of sheriffs' offices,

and 10% of them used vehiclemounted digital/data terminals. Nine

percent used vehicle-mounted

digital/data computers.

Forty-six percent of sheriffs' offices

employing 64% of all officers, used

portable (not vehicle-mounted) computers in 2003. This included a majority of

the offices serving 25,000 or more

residents. 

Portable laptops, the most common

type of infield computer, were used 

by 43% of all sheriffs' offices. These

offices employed 56% of all sworn

personnel. Less common were

personal digital assistants (9%),

portable digital/data terminals (4%),

and portable digital/data computers

(3%).

The percentage of sheriffs' offices

using infield computers or terminals 

in 2003 (55%) was nearly twice as

large as in 2000 (32%), and it was

about 9 times greater than in 1990

(6%). Likewise, the 81% of sheriffs’

officers working for a department with

infield computers or terminals in 2003

was higher than in 2000 (61%), and

nearly 3 times that in 1990 (28%). 

From 1990 to 2003 large increases in

the use of infield computers and terminals by sheriffs’ offices have occurred

in jurisdictions of all sizes (figure 18).

During this period infield computer use

among sheriffs' offices serving 500,000

or more residents increased from 45%

to 93%; sheriffs' offices serving

100,000 to 499,999 residents, from

14% to 76%; sheriffs' offices serving

25,000 to 99,999 residents, from 6% to

61%; and sheriffs' offices serving fewer

than 25,000 residents, from 2% to 41%.

32 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Under 10,000 32 14 14 0 1 31 29 4 1 1

10,000-24,999 48 30 26 4 2 42 40 5 2 1

25,000-49,999 58 30 25 11 7 52 50 5 3 1

50,000-99,999 68 38 29 13 17 55 51 18 5 10

100,000-249,999 76 57 32 24 26 61 50 24 12 7

250,000-499,999 77 61 26 27 27 51 43 14 6 4

500,000-999,999 93 85 33 32 44 66 54 26 10 9

1,000,000 or more 92% 77% 35% 35% 42% 65% 58% 19% 12% 8%

 All sizes 55% 33% 25% 10% 9% 46% 43% 9% 4% 3%

Digital/data

computer

Digital/data 

 terminal

Personal 

digital 

 Any type Laptop assistant

Digital/data

computer

Digital/data 

 Any type Laptop terminal

Vehicle-mounted Portable (not vehicle-mounted)

Any infield

computer 

or terminal

Population

served

Percent of agencies using infield computers or terminals

Table 69. Types of infield computers or terminals used by sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent of agencies

Sheriffs' offices using infield computers

or terminals, 1990 and 2003

2003

Population served

1990

Figure 18
Twenty-seven percent of sheriffs' offices

used infield computers or terminals for

writing field reports during 2003 (table

70). These sheriffs' offices employed

35% of all officers. Thirteen percent of

sheriffs' offices used them for at least

some infield communications. These

sheriffs' offices employed 39% of all

officers. 

In about a fifth of sheriffs' offices, at

least some officers in the field could

use computers to access vehicle

records, driving records, and warrants

during 2003 (table 71). This included a

majority of the offices serving a population of 250,000 or more residents.

Sheriffs' offices using infield computers

for these purposes employed more

than half of all officers. 

Seventeen percent of sheriffs’ offices

provided infield officers with access to

protection order information. This

included a majority of those serving a

population of 250,000 or more. 

In 14% of sheriffs' offices, employing

40% of all officers, infield computers

could be used for the purpose of interagency information sharing. This

included half of the offices serving a

population of 500,000 or more.

In 13% of sheriffs' offices, employing

31% of all officers, infield computers or

terminals could be used to access

criminal history information. 

In 11% of sheriffs' offices, employing

37% of all officers, infield computers or

terminals could be used to access

repeat calls for service information.

This included more than half of the

offices serving a population of 500,000

or more.

The percentage of sworn personnel

employed by a sheriffs’ office providing

infield computer access to information

has been on the increase since 1997

when LEMAS first began tracking this

capability. Sheriffs' offices providing

patrol officers with infield computer

access to vehicle records employed

78% of all officers in 2003 compared to

67% in 2000 and 56% in 1997 (figure

19). 

Other types of information and the

percentage of sworn personnel

employed by a sheriffs’ office providing

infield access during 1997, 2000, and

2003 are as follows: driving records,

51% in 1997, 58% in 2000, and 71% 

in 2003; criminal history records 25% 

in 1997, 29% in 2000 and 39% in 2003;

calls for service records, 23% in 1997,

37% in 2000, and 39% in 2003.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 33

Figure 19

Under 10,000 15 5

10,000-24,999 27 10

25,000-49,999 28 7

50,000-99,999 32 13

100,000-249,999 34 34

250,000-499,999 34 36

500,000-999,999 48 47

1,000,000 or more 35% 58%

 All sizes 27% 13%

CommunicationsField

reports

Population

served

 Percent of agencies using

 infield computers for —

Table 70. Use of infield computers

for reports and communications

by sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2003

Under 10,000 5 5 7 7 5 6 4

10,000-24,999 9 9 9 9 9 6 4

25,000-49,999 15 16 13 12 12 7 7

50,000-99,999 29 29 22 19 9 20 9

100,000-249,999 49 45 46 38 36 24 31

250,000-499,999 60 57 56 51 45 41 43

500,000-999,999 85 78 83 70 50 51 53

1,000,000 or more 81% 73% 73% 54% 50% 39% 54%

 All sizes 21% 20% 19% 17% 14% 13% 11%

Calls for

service

history

Criminal

history

records

Interagency

information

system

Protection

orders

WarrantsDriving

records

Vehicle

records

Population

served

Types of information accessible in the field 

Table 71. Computerized information accessible to infield officers

of sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Prior calls for service

Criminal histories

Driving records

Vehicle records

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent of officers employed by

an agency providing access

2003

Type of information

1997

Sheriffs' deputies with infield computer

access to information, 1997-2003

2000
Automated Fingerprint Identification

In 2003, 60% percent of sheriffs'

offices, employing 87% of officers, had

access to an Automated Fingerprint

Identification System (AFIS) that

included a file of digitized prints (table

72). For 32% of agencies, this access

was through another agency.

Seventeen percent of sheriffs' offices

had exclusive ownership of an AFIS.

This included more than a third of the

offices serving 100,000 or more

residents. Five percent of all sheriffs'

offices had shared AFIS ownership.

Seven percent of them used an AFIS

terminal with access to a remote

system. 

Transmission of incident reports 

In 2003, 58% of sheriffs' offices used

paper reports as the primary method to

transmit criminal incident reports from

the field to the agency’s central information system (table 73). This represented a large decrease from 1997

when 87% were using paper reports.

In 2003, 33% of offices used computers and data devices to transmit

incident reports, compared to 7% in

1997. Seven percent of offices used

telephone lines or wireless systems to

transmit incident reports in 2003, about

the same percentage as in 1997 (6%).

From 2000 to 2003 an increase in the

use of electronic methods of report

submission was observed in all population categories (figure 20). This continued the trend observed from 1997 to

2000. Among sheriffs' offices serving

500,000 or more residents, 26% used

electronic methods in 2003, compared

to 21% in 2000 and 12% in 1997. The

percentage of sheriffs' offices in other

population categories using electronic

methods in 2003, 2000, and 1997 are

as follows: 100,000 to 499,999

residents 40%, 27% 16%; 25,000 to

99,999 residents: 44%, 18%, 12%;

under 25,000 residents, 45%,18%,

14%.

34 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 

Under 10,000 97 68 23 5

10,000-24,999 98 58 36 5

25,000-49,999 99 50 42 7

50,000-99,999 99 54 39 6

100,000-249,999 95 57 29 10

250,000-499,999 99 62 27 11

500,000-999,999 98 63 17 19

1,000,000 or more 100% 73% 27% 0%

 All sizes 98% 58% 33% 7%

Telephone/

wireless

Computer/

data device

Paper 

Total report

Population

served

Primary transmission method

Table 73. Methods for transmitting criminal incident reports 

to the central information system in sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2003

Note: Detail may not sum to total because agencies could select more than one category.

Under 10,000 40 2 2 2 33

10,000-24,999 52 12 2 5 34

25,000-49,999 60 22 2 7 29

50,000-99,999 71 20 10 12 31

100,000-249,999 85 33 8 14 32

250,000-499,999 95 38 8 10 41

500,000-999,999 97 46 17 14 28

1,000,000 or more 96% 39% 35% 19% 8%

 All sizes 60% 17% 5% 7% 32%

Access 

through other

agency

 Remote 

 terminal 

 access only

 Shared 

 owner 

Exclusive

owner

 Total with

 access

Population 

served

Percent of agencies with AFIS access 

Table 72. Use of Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS)

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2003

Figure 20

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60%

Percent of agencies

Sheriffs' offices using electronic methods* for transmitting

criminal incident reports to a central information system, 1997-2003

2003

Population served

2000

*Includes computer medium, data device, telephone line, or wireless transmission.

1997
Methodology

The Law Enforcement Management

and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS)

survey collects data from a nationally

representative sample of publicly

funded State and local law enforcement agencies in the United States. 

This report presents data from the

2003 survey describing local police

departments in terms of their

personnel, expenditures and pay,

operations, community policing initiatives, equipment, computers and information systems, and written policies. 

The 2003 LEMAS sample design called

for the survey questionnaire to be

mailed to 3,179 State and local law

enforcement agencies. Twenty-five

agencies were determined to be out-ofscope for the survey because they had

closed, outsourced their operations, or

were operating on a part-time basis,

resulting in a final mailout total of 3,154

agencies. The initial mailing of the

questionnaire was conducted in

December 2003. The pay period

containing June 30, 2000 was used as

the reference date for all questions,

unless otherwise noted. 

Allowing for the exclusion of special

jurisdiction agencies and Texas

constables, 955 law enforcement

agencies in the United States with 100

or more sworn officers as of June 30,

2000, were included in the sample as

self-representing (SR) agencies. This

included 574 local police departments,

332 sheriffs’ offices, and the 49 primary

State law enforcement agencies. 

The self-representing (SR) agencies

were supplemented by a nationally

representative sample of agencies with

fewer than 100 sworn personnel.

These nonself-representing (NSR)

agencies were chosen using a stratified

random sample with cells based on the

type of agency (local police or sheriff),

size of population served, and number

of sworn personnel. The 2,199 NSR

agencies selected included 1,539 local

police departments and 660 sheriffs’

offices.

A total of 2,859 agencies responded to

the LEMAS questionnaire for a

response rate of 90.6%. This included

904 SR agencies (94.7%) and 1,955

NSR agencies (88.9%). The final

database includes responses from

1,947 local police departments, 863

sheriffs’ offices, and the 49 primary

State law enforcement agencies. The

overall response rate for local police

departments was 92.1%, for sheriffs’

offices 87.0%, and for the State law

enforcement agencies, 100%.

The base weight for all SR agencies is

one. For NSR sheriffs’ offices, it is four.

For NSR local police departments, the

base weights are determined by

number of sworn personnel employed

as reported in the 2000 BJS Census of

State and Local Law Enforcement

Agencies. For agencies with 0 to 6

sworn officers, the base weight is

15.55; for 7 to 13 officers, 9.65; for 14

to 23 officers, 7.09; for 24 to 39

officers, 4.95; for 40 to 62 officers,

3.38; and for 63 to 99 officers, the base

weight is 2.14.

The final weight associated with every

agency, both SR and NSR, is the

product of the base weight, a factor

that adjusted for changes in the

universe since 2000, and a factor that

adjusted for any nonresponding

agencies in each cell. 

The final weight for all SR local police

agencies is 1.034234, for SR sheriffs’

offices it is 1.106667, and for the 49

primary State law enforcement

agencies, it is 1. For NSR sheriffs’

offices the final weight is 4.847247. 

For NSR local police departments, the

final weights are as follows: agencies

with 0 to 6 sworn officers, 20.355930; 7

to 13 officers, 10.925000; 14 to 23

officers, 7.707424; 24 to 39 officers,

5.313808; 40 to 62 officers, 3.555024;

and 63 to 99 officers, 2.216080.

Some responding agencies did not fully

complete the LEMAS questionnaire.

When an agency did not supply a

response to an item, hot deck imputation, median value imputation, or ratio

imputation was used. Hot deck imputation uses the value reported by a

randomly selected agency from the

same sample cell. Median value

imputation uses the median value of an

item reported by agencies in the same

sample cell. Ratio imputation uses the

median value of a ratio reported by

agencies in the same sample cell.

Because the data from agencies with

fewer than 100 sworn personnel were

collected from a sample, the results are

subject to sampling error. The survey

data are also subject to response and

processing errors.

 Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003 35