Bureau of Justice Statistics

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs 

Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics

Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

 

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Population served

Percent of agencies

1990

2000

more than doubled in all population categories

requiring all field officers to wear protective body armor

From 1990 to 2000 the percentage of sheriffs' offices
 

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

Matthew J. Hickman and 

Brian A. Reaves, Ph.D.

BJS Statisticians

January 2003, NCJ 196534
U.S. Department of Justice

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Lawrence A. Greenfeld

Director

Matthew J. Hickman and Brian A.

Reaves prepared this report. Tom

Hester edited the report. 

The Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services (COPS) provided

partial funding for the 2000 Census.

Debra Cohen and Matthew Scheider of

COPS assisted with questionnaire

development More information on

COPS can be obtained at their website

<www.usdoj.gov/cops>.

Data were collected and processed by

the U.S. Census Bureau, with assistance from BJS. Census Bureau staff,

under the supervision of Latrice

Brogsdale-Davis and Charlene Sebold

included Theresa Reitz, Martha

Greene, Patricia Torreyson, Bill Bryner,

and Paula Kinard.

Sample design and selection and

imputation procedures were conducted

by Suzanne Dorinski and Yukiko Ellis

of the Economic Statistical Methods

and Programming Division of the

Census Bureau under the supervision

of Carma Hogue.

Data presented in this report may be

obtained from the National Archive of

the 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 7

 Operations 10

Community policing 14

Equipment 18

Computers and information systems 23

Special arrest policies 27

Methodology 28

ii Sheriffs’ Offices 2000
Personnel

• As of June 2000, sheriffs’ offices had

293,823 full-time employees, including

about 165,000 sworn personnel.

Employment was up an average of

about 4% per year since 1990. 

• Racial and ethnic minorities comprised 17.1% of full-time sworn personnel in 2000, up from 15.5% in 1990.

Females comprised 12.5% of officers

in 2000, down from 15.4% in 1990.

• From 1990 to 2000, the number of

African American officers increased by

1,600, or 12% and Hispanic officers by

3,400, or 51%. During this period, the

number of female officers decreased

by 1,200, or 5.5%.

 

• Nearly all officers worked for an

agency using criminal record checks

(97%), background investigations (97%),

personal interviews (96%), driving

record checks (94%), and medical

exams (90%) to screen applicants.

Drug tests (81%) were also common. 

• In 2000, 11% of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 13% of sworn personnel,

required new deputy recruits to have

completed at least some college, up

from 4% in 1990.

• State-mandated field and academy

training requirements for new deputies 

averaged about 670 hours combined.

Additional training beyond state requirements averaged about 380 hours. 

Budget and pay

• Sheriffs’ offices had total operating

budgets of $17.7 billion during fiscal

2000, 45% more than in 1990 after

adjusting for inflation. Operating

budgets in 2000 averaged $107,900

per sworn officer, and $65 per resident.

• In 2000, starting salaries for sheriffs’

deputies ranged from an average of

about $21,700 in the smallest jurisdictions to about $32,900 in the largest.

Almost half (45%) of all sheriffs’

officers worked for an agency that

authorized collective bargaining.

Operations

• Nearly all sheriffs’ offices used

automobiles for routine patrol. In

addition, 23% used foot patrol routinely.

An estimated 13%, including half of

those serving 1 million or more

residents, used bicycle patrol on a

regular basis.

• In 2000, 87% of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 90% of sworn personnel,

participated in a 9-1-1 emergency

system compared to 42% and 68% in

1990. In 2000, 66% of offices, employing 82% of sworn personnel, had

enhanced 9-1-1, compared to 11% and

36% in 1990.

• About 3 in 10 sheriffs’ offices had

officers assigned full time to a special

unit for drug enforcement, with 3,300

officers so assigned nationwide.

Two-fifths of sheriffs’ offices had

officers assigned to a multi-agency

drug task force, with a total of 2,900

officers assigned full time nationwide.

• Fifty-three percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 78% of sworn personnel,

had drug asset forfeiture receipts

during 1999. Collectively, offices had

about $137 million in receipts, or $834

per sworn officer employed.

• Almost all sheriffs’ offices had

responsibility for executing arrest

warrants (99.7%), providing court

security (97%), and serving civil

process (99%). About 8 in 10 had

responsibility for operating a jail.

Community policing

• Fifty-five percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 74% of sworn personnel,

had a community policing plan of some

type. An estimated 13% of offices,

employing 36% of sworn personnel, had

a formal, written plan. 

• Sixty-two percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 76% of sworn personnel,

used full-time community policing

officers in 2000. Collectively, there

were about 16,500 such officers.

• Thirty-one percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 51% of sworn personnel,

trained all new recruits in community

policing. Fifty-two percent of offices,

employing 69% of sworn personnel,

trained at least some in-service

personnel in community policing.

• About 8 in 10 sheriffs’ offices

regularly met with community groups

during 2000. About a third of those

serving 100,000 or more residents

conducted a citizen academy.

• About a fifth of all sheriffs’ offices,

including more than a third of those

serving 100,000 or more residents,

upgraded technology in 2000 to support

community policing efforts. 

• Forty-eight percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 71% of all sworn personnel,

used full-time school resource officers

in 2000. Collectively, these agencies

employed about 5,300 such officers.

Highlights

Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 iii

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Female All minorities Black Hispanic Other*

Percent of full-time

Female and minority officers in sheriffs' offices, 1990 and 2000

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

2000

1990

sworn personnel
Equipment

• Ninety-seven percent of sheriffs’

offices authorized the use of semiautomatic sidearms in 2000. This

increased from 74% in 1990. 

• An estimated 89% of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 89% of all sworn personnel,

authorized use of chemical agents such

as pepper spray during 2000, up from

52% and 63% in 1990.

• In 2000, 52% of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 53% of all sworn personnel,

required all field officers to wear

protective body armor, compared to

21% and 23% in 1990.

• Nationwide, sheriffs’ offices in 2000

operated an estimated 106,000 cars,

or about 6 cars for every 10 officers

employed. About a third of these cars

were unmarked. 

• About half of all sheriffs’ offices used

dogs for law enforcement work, including more than two-thirds of those

serving a population of 50,000 or more.

Four percent of sheriffs’ offices used

horses, including 25% of those serving

1 million or more residents.

• Fifty-three percent of all sheriffs’

offices regularly used video cameras in

2000. Forty percent used them in

patrol cars. Seven percent of sheriffs’

offices used video cameras for traffic

enforcement.

Computers and information systems

• From 1990 to 2000, the percentage of

sheriffs’ offices using in-field computers

increased from 6% to 32%. Offices

using in-field computers employed

61% of all sworn personnel in 2000, up

from 28% in 1990.

• The percentage of sheriffs’ offices

using computers for Internet access

rose from 31% in 1997 to 67% in 2000.

During 2000, about 8 in 10 offices

serving 50,000 or more residents had

this capability.

• From 1997 to 2000, the percentage of

sheriffs’ officers employed by an

agency with in-field computer access

to vehicle records increased from 40%

to 45%; driving records; 38% to 42%;

calls for service histories, 24% to 33%;

and criminal histories, 29% to 33%.

• In 2000, 80% 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 period,

use of computer and data devices

increased from 7% to 14%.

Written policy directives

• Nearly all sheriffs’ offices (92%) had a

written policy on pursuit driving. Almost

half 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. Five percent discouraged all

vehicle pursuits.

• Ninety-two percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 98% of all sworn personnel,

had a written policy on the use of

deadly force. Eighty-five percent,

employing 94% of sworn personnel,

had a policy on nonlethal force. 

• Eighty-nine percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 91% of sworn personnel,

had a special policy regarding arrest

for domestic assaults. Sixty-eight

percent had a mandatory arrest policy,

and 17% had a pro-arrest policy. 

• Eighty-four percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 85% of sworn personnel,

had a special policy regarding arrest

for violations of protection orders.

Sixty-two percent had a mandatory

arrest policy, and 18% had a pro-arrest

policy.

iv Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

Percent of 9-1-1 systems

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

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

Percent of 9-1-1 systems in sheriffs' offices

with enhanced capability, 1990 and 2000

2000

Population served

1990

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

1990

2000

Population served

Percent of agencies

Sheriffs' offices using in-field computers or terminals, 1990 and 2000
The LEMAS survey

During 2000, the Bureau of Justice 

Statistics (BJS), as a 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,

and 1999.

This report presents data from the

2000 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, equipment, computers and information

systems, and written policies.

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 jurisdiction may

exclude county areas served by a local

police department. In certain counties,

some municipalities contract with the

sheriff’s 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 2000 LEMAS survey questionnaire

was mailed to 3,132 State and local

law enforcement agencies. The overall

response rate was 97.4% (see Methodology for a description of the sample). 

This report, and its companion report

(Local Police Departments 2000,

NCJ-196002), summarize data

collected from agencies of all sizes.

Trend data on the police departments

serving the 62 largest U.S. cities were

previously published in the BJS Special

Report, Police Departments in Large

Cities: 1990-2000, NCJ-175703.

Personnel

As of June 30, 2000, sheriffs’ offices

had 293,823 full-time employees (table

1). They also employed about 23,000

persons on a part-time basis. Approximately 165,000, or 56%, of full-time

local police employees were sworn

personnel (those with general arrest

powers).

Sheriffs’ offices employed 23% of all

State and local sworn officers nationwide. Their 129,112 full-time civilian

employees comprised 41% of all

nonsworn State and local law enforcement employees.

There were about 90,000, or 44%,

more full-time sheriffs’ office employees in 2000 than in 1990 (figure 1).

When only sworn personnel are

considered, employment by sheriffs’

offices increased by about 23,300, or

16.5%, from 1990 to 2000. 

Overall, the number of part-time

sheriffs’ office employees increased by

about 6,300, or 39%, from 1990 to

2000. When only sworn personnel are

considered, part-time employment by

sheriffs’ offices was up by about 1,100,

or 12.1%, from 1990 to 2000.

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 1

Note: Data are for the pay period that included June 30, 2000. Sworn 

employees are those with general arrest powers. Excludes agencies 

employing less than the equivalent of one full-time sworn officer.

*State and local law enforcement agencies that serve special jurisdictional

areas or have special enforcement responsibilities.

Texas constable 623 3,080 2,630 450 484 418 66

Special* 1,376 69,650 43,413 26,237 13,583 4,667 8,916

Primary State 49 87,028 56,348 30,680 817 95 722

Sheriff 3,070 293,823 164,711 129,112 22,737 10,300 12,437

Local police 12,666 565,915 440,920 124,995 62,110 27,323 34,787

Total 17,784 1,019,496 708,022 311,474 99,731 42,803 56,928

Total Sworn Civilian Total Sworn Civilian

Number of Full-time Part-time

agencies

Type of 

agency

Number of employees

Table 1. Employment by State and local law enforcement agencies 

in the United States, 2000

Figure 1

1990 2000 1990 2000

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

Employment by State and local law enforcement agencies,

1990 and 2000

Number of employees

All State

and local

Sheriffs'

offices

only

Full-time employees Full-time officers
Nationwide 351 sheriffs’ offices

employed at least 100 sworn personnel

(11.4%), including 12 with 1,000 or

more full-time officers (0.4%) (table 2).

A total of 844 offices employed fewer

than 10 full-time sworn personnel

(27.5%).

Nearly a fifth of all full-time sheriffs’

deputies were employed by an agency

with 1,000 or more sworn personnel,

and nearly two-thirds were employed by

one with at least 100 sworn personnel.

Agencies that employed fewer than 10

full-time sworn personnel accounted for

about 3% of all sheriffs’ deputies

nationwide.

2 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

*Includes both full-time and part-time employees. Excludes agencies employing less than 

the equivalent of 1 full-time officer.

--Less than 0.05%

1 11 0.4 11 -- 0 0.0

2-4 248 8.1 759 0.5 632 0.5

5-9 585 19.1 3,697 2.2 3,404 2.6

10-24 951 31.0 13,136 8.0 11,790 9.1

25-49 569 18.5 17,507 10.6 15,037 11.6

50-99 355 11.6 22,000 13.4 19,027 14.7

100-249 230 7.5 32,549 19.8 26,248 20.3

250-499 81 2.6 27,618 16.8 19,096 14.8

500-999 28 0.9 18,617 11.3 12,885 10.0

1,000 or more 12 0.4% 28,817 17.5% 20,993 16.3%

 Total 3,070 100% 164,711 100% 129,112 100%

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, 2000

Note: Sworn employees are those with general arrest powers.

--Less than 0.5%.

a

Includes all uniformed officers with general arrest powers whose regularly assigned duties included responding to citizen calls for service. b

Duty area percentages are estimates based on the 1999 LEMAS survey.

c

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office serves as the local police department for the City of Jacksonville which is consolidated with Duval County. 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. These two agencies, although headed by sheriffs, are classified as local

police departments in LEMAS for data analysis purposes. 

East Baton Rouge Parish (LA) 712 126 18 18 10 41 4 3

Calcasieu Parish (LA) 730 140 19 19 7 33 3 4

Fulton Co. (GA) 774 0 0 0 0 62 35 3 b

San Francisco Co. (CA) 777 0 0 0 2 64 9 1

Monroe Co. (NY) 777 242 31% 31% 3% 52% 13% 1%

Ventura Co. (CA) 796 261 33 33 16 25 11 1

Oakland Co. (MI) 800 330 41 41 8 48 3 1

Wayne Co. (MI) 821 113 14 14 5 58 14 1

Pinellas Co. (FL) 860 446 52 52 25 0 20 3

Nassau Co. (NY) 899 0 0% 0% 0% 95% 0% 3%

Alameda Co. (CA) 909 138 15 15 2 48 16 1

Hillsborough Co. (CA) 1,030 670 65 65 18 0 0 2

Palm Beach Co. (FL) 1,074 685 64 64 23 0 9 5

Orange Co. (FL) 1,211 576 48 48 10 0 8 5

Riverside Co. (CA) 1,286 740 58% 58% 16% 16% 8% 2%

Broward Co. (FL) 1,310 962 73 73 27 0 0 0

Sacramento Co. (CA) 1,372 570 42 42 11 32 9 1

San Bernardino Co. (CA) 1,421 468 33 33 15 29 10 1

Jacksonville - Duval Co. (FL) 1,530 981 64 64 13 0 -- 1 c

San Diego Co. (CA) 1,553 762 49% 49% 13% 7% 16% 3%

Orange Co. (CA) 1,770 708 40 40 8 42 0 0

Clark Co. (NV) 2,168 997 46 46 10 22 0 0 c

Harris Co. (TX) 2,584 676 26 26 12 60 0 1

Cook Co. (IL) 5,768 523 9 9 1 58 30 2 b

Los Angeles Co. (CA) 8,438 2,239 27% 27% 8% 27% 18% 0%

Number Percent

Process 

serving 

Court 

security 

Jail

operations

InvestiPatrol gative 

 Percent of officers by area of duty

Officers responding to 

calls for servicea

 Full-time

 sworn

County or equivalent personnel

Twenty-five largest sheriffs’ offices, by number and function of full-time sworn personnel, 2000
Although only a sixth of sheriffs’ offices

served a jurisdiction with 100,000 or

more residents, such agencies

employed about two-thirds of all sworn

personnel (table 3). About a fifth of

sworn personnel were employed in

jurisdictions with 1 million or more

residents.

Sheriffs’ offices in jurisdictions with a

population of 1 million or more had an

average of 1,646 full-time employees,

including 905 sworn personnel (table

4). In contrast, offices in jurisdictions

with fewer than 10,000 residents had

an average of 6 full-time sworn personnel and 5 nonsworn employees.

Part-time employees were more

common among sheriffs’ offices

serving larger jurisdictions, ranging

from an average of 2 in the smallest

jurisdictions to 38 in the largest. The

highest average number of sworn parttime employees was 11, among

sheriffs’ offices serving 500,000 to

999,999 residents. 

Overall, 40% of full-time sworn personnel in sheriffs’ offices had regularly

assigned duties that included responding to calls for service (table 5). By

population category, the proportion of

sworn personnel responding to calls

ranged from 3 in 10 among offices

serving 500,000 or more residents, to

about 3 in 4 among those serving fewer

than 10,000 residents.

As of June 30, 2000, sheriffs’ offices

collectively employed 88% of the

maximum number of full-time sworn

personnel authorized by their budgets

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

personnel was among offices serving 

1 million or more residents (84%). 

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 3

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

Under 10,000 668 21.8 4,093 2.5 3,099 2.4

10,000-24,999 876 28.5 12,306 7.5 9,056 7.0

25,000-49,999 640 20.8 17,404 10.6 11,893 9.2

50,000-99,999 383 12.5 19,618 11.9 13,406 10.4

100,000-249,999 285 9.3 30,561 18.6 21,740 16.8

250,000-499,999 113 3.7 22,838 13.9 20,195 15.6

500,000-999,999 66 2.1 22,604 13.7 20,823 16.1

1,000,000 or more 39 1.3% 35,287 21.4% 28,900 22.4%

 All sizes 3,070 100% 164,711 100% 129,112 100%

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, 2000

*Includes all uniformed officers whose

regularly assigned duties included responding

to citizens calls/requests for service.

Under 10,000 3,064 75

10,000-24,999 7,462 61

25,000-49,999 9,138 56

50,000-99,999 9,252 47

100,000-249,999 11,655 38

250,000-499,999 8,331 36

500,000-999,999 6,683 30

1,000,000 or more 10,490 30

 All sizes 66,075 40%

Number Percent

Full-time sworn personnel 

assigned to respond to 

Population citizen calls for service* 

served

Table 5. Sworn personnel assigned

to respond to citizen calls for service 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2000

Note: Sworn employees are those with

general arrest powers.

Under 10,000 4,615 89

10,000-24,999 13,631 90

25,000-49,999 19,171 91

50,000-99,999 22,137 89

100,000-249,999 34,073 90

250,000-499,999 26,507 86

500,000-999,999 25,651 88

1,000,000 or more 42,008 84

 All sizes 187,793 88%

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, 2000

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

Under 10,000 11 6 5 2 1 1

10,000-24,999 24 14 10 4 2 2

25,000-49,999 46 27 19 7 4 3

50,000-99,999 86 51 35 9 5 4

100,000-249,999 184 107 76 12 5 7

250,000-499,999 381 202 179 27 10 17

500,000-999,999 658 342 316 31 11 20

1,000,000 or more 1,646 905 741 38 8 30

 All sizes 96 54 42 7 3 4

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, 2000
Gender and race of officers

Of the 164,711 full-time sworn personnel

employed by sheriffs’ offices in 2000, an

estimated 12.5% were women (table 7).

The percentage of female officers

ranged from more than 13% in jurisdictions with a population of 100,000 or

more to about 7% in those with fewer

than 10,000 residents. 

In 2000, 17.1% of the full-time sworn

personnel in sheriffs’ offices were

members of a racial or ethnic minority.

Minority officers comprised almost a

third of the total in jurisdictions with 1

million or more residents.

Blacks or African Americans accounted

for 9.4% of all sworn personnel in 2000.

This included more than 11% of the

sworn personnel in jurisdictions with a

population of 500,000 or more.

An estimated 6.1% of sworn personnel

were Hispanic or Latino, with the

highest representation among offices

serving a population of 1 million or

more (15.4%).

In 2000 the estimated 20,589 female

officers represented a decrease of

about 1,200, or 5.5%, from 1990.

During this time female representation

among sworn personnel decreased

from 15.4% to 12.5% (figure 2).

The 28,166 sworn personnel who were

members of a racial or ethnic minority

in 2000 represented an increase of

about 6,250, or 28%, since 1990. From

1990 to 2000, minority representation

among sworn personnel in sheriffs’

offices increased from 15.5% to 17.1%.

The estimated 15,483 full-time black or

African American officers employed in

2000 represented an increase of about

1,600, or 12%, compared to 1990.

However, there was a slight decrease

during this period in the percentage of

all sworn personnel who were black --

from 9.8% to 9.4%.

There were an estimated 10,047

Hispanic or Latino sworn personnel in

sheriffs’ offices as of June 2000. This

was about 3,400, or 51%, more than in

1990. From 1990 to 2000, the percentage of sworn personnel who were

Hispanic or Latino rose from 4.7% to

6.1%. 

From 1990 to 2000 the number of other

minority groups such as Asians, Pacific

Islanders, and American Indians

increased by 86% to about 2,600

officers. These groups comprised 1.6%

of sworn personnel in 2000 compared

to 1.0% in 1990.

4 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

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

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

Under 10,000 100 92.9 7.1 94.0 87.2 6.9 1.3 1.3 0.0 3.0 3.0 0.0 1.7 1.4 0.2

10,000-24,999 100 91.6 8.4 89.1 82.5 6.6 7.7 6.3 1.4 2.4 2.1 0.3 0.8 0.7 0.1

25,000-49,999 100 89.5 10.5 88.2 80.0 8.3 8.1 6.4 1.7 2.9 2.5 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.1

50,000-99,999 100 88.4 11.6 92.5 82.3 10.2 5.2 4.0 1.3 1.0 0.9 0.1 1.3 1.2 0.1

100,000-249,999 100 86.4 13.6 85.9 75.7 10.2 10.2 7.3 2.9 3.1 2.7 0.4 0.8 0.7 0.1

250,000-499,999 100 86.7 13.3 83.4 73.7 9.7 9.9 7.2 2.7 5.4 4.6 0.8 1.3 1.2 0.2

500,000-999,999 100 86.2 13.8 78.0 68.4 9.6 11.2 8.3 2.9 8.4 7.4 1.1 2.3 2.1 0.3

1,000,000 or more 100% 86.3% 13.7% 69.5% 61.2% 8.3% 11.9% 9.0% 2.9% 15.4% 13.2% 2.2% 3.2% 2.9% 0.4%

 All sizes 100% 87.5% 12.5% 82.9% 73.7% 9.1% 9.4% 7.0% 2.3% 6.1% 5.3% 0.8% 1.6% 1.4% 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 7. Gender and race of full-time sworn personnel in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000 

Figure 2

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Female All minorities Black Hispanic Other*

Percent of full-time

sworn personnel

Female and minority sheriff's officers, 1990 and 2000

*Includes Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaska Natives.
Screening of officer applicants 

Sheriffs’ offices employed a variety of

screening methods when hiring new

deputies. Nearly all used personal

interviews (94%), and a majority used

medical exams (75%) and drug tests

(61%) (table 8). About half used

psychological evaluations (47%),

including about four-fifths of those

serving 250,000 or more residents. 

About a third of sheriffs’ offices used

physical agility tests and written

aptitude tests. Less common was the

use of personality inventories (21%),

polygraph exams (18%), or voice

stress analyzers (4%).

In addition to interviews, tests, and

examinations, nearly all sheriffs’ offices

screened recruits through criminal

record checks (97%), background

investigations (95%), and driving

record checks (91%) (table 9). 

Nearly all sheriffs’ deputies were

employed by agencies that screened

recruits with criminal record checks

(97%), background investigations

(97%), personal interviews (96%),

driving record checks (94%), and

medical exams (90%) (figure 3). About

8 in 10 were employed by agencies

that used drug tests (81%), and about

2 in 3 by those that used psychological

evaluations (68%).

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 5

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

--Less than 0.5%

Under 10,000 92 64 37 34 24 19 15 8 1 1

10,000-24,999 92 72 62 44 33 26 15 15 1 0

25,000-49,999 97 78 65 46 33 38 21 13 4 0

50,000-99,999 93 83 73 51 39 44 25 19 8 0

100,000-249,999 97 88 79 63 50 55 31 42 8 --

250,000-499,999 96 83 73 79 50 57 39 51 11 1

500,000-999,999 94 96 88 85 54 64 43 50 10 5

1,000,000 or more 94% 84% 80% 75% 68% 75% 40% 38% 10% 0%

All sizes 94% 75% 61% 47% 35% 34% 21% 18% 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 deputy recruits

Table 8. Interviews, tests and examinations used in selection of new deputy recruits 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

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

Under 10,000 96 92 87 23 5

10,000-24,999 96 94 89 28 5

25,000-49,999 98 96 93 35 6

50,000-99,999 96 96 92 50 4

100,000-249,999 99 97 94 57 7

250,000-499,999 97 94 95 64 5

500,000-999,999 94 96 94 69 13

1,000,000 or more 94% 100% 74% 59% 6%

All sizes 97% 95% 91% 37% 6%

 Volunteer

 service

 check

 Credit 

 history

 check

 Driving 

 record

 check

 

 Background 

 investigation

 Criminal

 record

 check

Population

served

Background checks used to select new deputy recruits

Table 9. Background checks used in selection of new deputy recruits

 in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 3

Sheriffs' deputies employed by departments 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

Personal interview

Background investigation

Criminal record check

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

Percent of sworn personnel employed

various recruit screening methods, 2000
Education and training requirements

Nearly all (97%) sheriffs’ offices had an

education requirement for new deputy

recruits (table 10). The typical

minimum requirement was a high

school diploma (86%). Eleven percent

of offices required some college education, including 6% with a 2-year degree

requirement.

The percentage of sworn personnel

employed by an agency with a college

requirement for new deputies in 2000

(13%) was about 3 times that of 1990

(4%) (figure 4). From 1990 to 2000,

the percentage of sworn personnel

employed by an agency with a degree

requirement increased from 3% to 5%.

In 2000, new deputy recruits in sheriffs’

offices serving a population of 100,000

or more were required to complete an

average of about 1,400 hours of

academy and field training (table 11).

In contrast, those in jurisdictions with

fewer than 10,000 residents were

required to complete an average of

about 780 hours. Overall, an average

of 64% of training hours were State

mandated, with the remainder an

agency requirement.

The average annual in-service training

requirement for non-probationary

officers was 62 hours, including 26 

State-mandated hours (table 12).

Overall, 13% of sheriffs’ offices operated

a training academy, including about

two-thirds of those serving a population

of 500,000 or more. Nationwide, 44%

of all sworn personnel were employed

by an agency that operated an

academy.

6 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

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

*Non-degree requirements.

--Less than 0.5%

Under 10,000 95 91 1 3 0

10,000-24,999 97 89 3 5 0

25,000-49,999 98 86 4 7 1

50,000-99,999 98 77 12 9 0

100,000-249,999 96 79 7 10 0

250,000-499,999 98 86 4 9 0

500,000-999,999 100 87 9 3 2

1,000,000 or more 87% 71% 12% 3% 0%

 All sizes 97% 86% 5% 6% --%

4-year

college

degree

2-year

college

degree

Some

college*

High

school

diploma

Total

with requirementPopulation

served

Percent of agencies requiring a minimum of:

Table 10. Minimum educational requirement for new deputies

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 4

Under 10,000 28 34

10,000-24,999 28 27

25,000-49,999 24 35

50,000-99,999 25 49

100,000-249,999 22 37

250,000-499,999 26 39

500,000-999,999 25 29

1,000,000 or more 21 48

All sizes 26 36

 Other

 required 

 hours

Statemandated

hours

Population 

served

Average number of —

Table 12. In-service training

requirements for non-probationary

deputies in sheriffs’ offices, by size

of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 3

10,000-24,999 7

25,000-49,999 11

50,000-99,999 15

100,000-249,999 30

250,000-499,999 40

500,000-999,999 66

1,000,000 or more 65%

All sizes 13%

 Percent with

 training academy

Population

served

Note: Average number of training hours excludes departments not requiring training.

Under 10,000 537 477 60 247 110 137

10,000-24,999 526 477 49 346 138 208

25,000-49,999 552 488 64 482 243 239

50,000-99,999 643 494 149 501 161 340

100,000-249,999 797 557 240 634 208 426

250,000-499,999 644 515 129 751 336 415

500,000-999,999 828 578 250 622 237 385

1,000,000 or more 712 490 222 651 305 346

All sizes 603 493 110 449 178 271

Other

required

StateTotal mandatedOther

required

StateTotal mandatedPopulation 

served

Academy Field

Average number of hours required

Table 11. Training requirements for new deputy recruits in sheriffs’

offices, by size of population served, 2000

Some college*

2-year degree

4-year degree

Any college

0% 3% 6% 9% 12% 15%

2000

Minimum education requirement

*Nondegree requirements only.

Sworn personnel in sheriffs' offices with a college

Percent of sworn personnel employed

1990

requirement for new deputy recruits, 1990 and 2000

requirement
Budget and pay

Operating budgets

The total operating budget of sheriffs’

offices during fiscal 2000 was about

$17.7 billion (table 13). This was 95%

more than in 1990. Controlling for

inflation, the net increase in the total

operating budget was 45%. (These

figures do not include budgets for

capital expenditures such as equipment purchases or construction

projects.) Sheriffs’ offices accounted

for 27% of the $65.7 billion in total

operating budgets for State and local

law enforcement agencies during fiscal

2000. 

Nationwide, operating budgets were

about $5.8 million per sheriffs’ office for

fiscal 2000, ranging from about $123

million for those serving a population of

1 million or more, to $412,000 among

those serving fewer than 10,000

residents. 

The overall operating cost per resident

was $65, with offices serving a population of less than 10,000 costing the

most to operate, $74 per resident.

Offices serving 25,000 to 99,999

residents had the lowest per resident

cost — about $58. 

Nationwide, sheriffs’ offices cost an

estimated $107,900 per sworn officer

to operate for fiscal 2000, ranging from

$160,100 per officer in jurisdictions with

a population of 1 million or more, to

$66,900 per officer in jurisdictions with

a population under 10,000. 

When both sworn and nonsworn

employees are included, the average

operating budget for sheriffs’ offices

was about $59,000 per employee for

the year. Operating costs ranged from

$83,100 per employee in jurisdictions

with 1 million or more residents to

$37,000 per employee in those with

fewer than 10,000 residents. 

After controlling for inflation, per officer

operating costs for 2000 were $24,000,

or 28.7%, higher than in 1990 (figure

5). The largest increase, from

$103,600 to $149,100, was recorded in

jurisdictions with 500,000 or more

residents. The smallest increase, from

$90,000 to $103,100, was in jurisdictions with 100,000 to 499,999

residents. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 7

Figure 5

Other 4.6 3.1

State police 6.7 5.0

Sheriff 17.7 12.2

Local police $36.7 $27.6

 Total $65.7 $47.8

2000 1990

Agency operating

expenditures (in billions)

Note: Figures are for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, 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 10,000 275,343,000 412,000 66,900 37,000 74

10,000-24,999 967,781,000 1,105,000 77,700 42,900 67

25,000-49,999 1,350,461,000 2,110,000 70,100 41,500 58

50,000-99,999 1,584,233,000 4,136,000 76,500 46,900 59

100,000-249,999 2,859,762,000 10,034,000 91,700 51,400 65

250,000-499,999 2,779,279,000 24,595,000 118,200 62,400 70

500,000-999,999 3,081,806,000 46,694,000 134,800 67,500 65

1,000,000 or more $4,796,269,000 $122,981,000 $160,100 $83,100 $65

 All sizes $17,694,933,000 $5,764,000 $107,900 $59,000 $65

 Per 

 resident

 Per 

 employee

 Per 

 sworn officer

 Per 

Total agency

Population

served

Operating budget, 2000

Table 13. Operating budget of sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2000

Annual per officer operating costs

Population served

2000

1990

of sheriffs' offices, 1990 and 2000

Annual operating costs per officer in 2000 dollars

Under 25,000

25,000-99,999

100,000-499,999

500,000 or more

All sizes

$0 $25,000 $50,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000

2000

1990
Salaries

The overall average base starting

salary for sheriffs was $49,400 in 2000

(table 14). Average starting salaries for

sheriffs ranged from $99,300 in jurisdictions with 1 million or more residents

to $33,800 in those with a population

under 10,000.

By agency, the average base starting

salary offered to entry-level deputies in

2000 was $23,700. Starting salaries

ranged from $21,700 in jurisdictions

with fewer than 10,000 residents to

$32,900 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 $28,700.

Salaries for first-line supervisors

(sergeant or equivalent) increased with

jurisdiction size in a pattern similar to

that for entry-level deputies. Overall, the

average starting salary for sergeants

was $30,500, ranging from $45,500 

in the largest jurisdictions to $25,900 

in the smallest. When size of agency is

considered, it is estimated that

sergeants in sheriffs’ offices started at

an average salary of about $38,800

during 2000.

From 1990 to 2000 average starting

salaries increased 36% for entry-level

deputies (from $17,400 to $23,700).

However, after controlling for inflation, 

salaries rose only 1.7%. By population

category, the largest increase was in

jurisdictions with fewer than 25,000

residents, where salaries rose an

average of 6.2% after adjusting for

inflation, from $20,715 to $22,008

(figure 6). 

Small increases also occurred in jurisdictions with 100,000 to 499,999

residents, from $26,064 to $27,215

(4.4%); and jurisdictions with 25,000 to

99,999 residents, from $23,308 to

$24,103 (3.4%). In jurisdictions with

500,000 or more residents, starting

salaries for deputies declined 0.6%,

from $32,035 to $31,849.

Special pay

Nationwide, 24% of all sheriffs’ offices,

including a majority of those serving a

population of 250,000 or more, offered

tuition reimbursement to officers (table

15). About half (51%) of sworn personnel nationwide worked for an agency

that offered it. 

Nineteen percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 40% of sworn personnel

nationwide, offered merit pay to qualifying officers. About two-fifths of offices

serving a population of 100,000 or

more had merit compensation.

An estimated 18% of sheriffs’ offices

offered education incentive pay to

qualifying officers, including a majority

of those serving a population of 1

million or more. Forty-five percent of

sworn personnel worked for an agency

that offered this type of incentive pay. 

Eighteen percent of sheriffs’ offices

offered shift differential pay to full-time

sworn personnel. This included about

half of the offices serving a population

of 250,000 or more. Nationwide, 34%

of sworn personnel were employed by

a agency with shift differential pay.

8 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

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

average salary excludes departments with no full-time employee in that position.

Under 10,000 21,700 23,100 25,900 27,100 33,800 35,000

10,000-24,999 22,200 24,400 29,100 31,800 43,500 45,200

25,000-49,999 23,600 27,600 29,600 33,700 50,000 52,000

50,000-99,999 24,900 30,600 31,100 36,700 55,900 58,800

100,000-249,999 26,700 35,400 35,100 43,600 65,600 70,800

250,000-499,999 28,500 40,300 39,200 50,300 80,300 85,300

500,000-999,999 31,300 43,200 45,200 55,500 89,400 96,800

1,000,000 or more $32,900 $46,100 $45,500 $54,600 $99,300 $105,400

 All sizes $23,700 $27,900 $30,500 $34,800 $49,400 $51,900

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum

Sheriff

Sergeant or

Population Entry-level deputy equivalent

served

 Average base annual salary, 2000

Table 14. Average base annual salary for selected positions 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 6

Average starting salary in 2000 dollars

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

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

Population served

Average starting salary in 2000 dollars

Average base starting salary for deputies

2000

1990

in sheriffs' offices, 1990 and 2000
Ten percent of sheriffs’ offices offered

special skills pay, including 4 in 10

offices serving a population of 1 million

or more and about 3 in 10 offices

serving a population of 250,000 to

999,999. Overall, 32% of sworn

personnel worked for an agency that

offered special skills pay.

Hazardous duty pay was available in

8% of all sheriffs’ offices, employing

29% of all sworn personnel. About a

third of offices serving a population of

500,000 or more offered this pay.

Work-related policies

Fifty-five percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 70% of all sworn personnel,

had a written policy on the maximum

number of hours that officers can work

(table 16). About 5 in 6 offices serving

a population of 500,000 to 999,999

residents maintained such a policy.

Eighty-one percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 94% of all sworn personnel,

had a written policy pertaining to

off-duty employment by officers. More

than 9 in 10 offices serving a population of 50,000 to 999,999 had such a

policy. 

Unions and collective bargaining

Nationwide, 30% of all sheriffs’ offices,

employing 45% of all sworn personnel,

authorized collective bargaining for

officers (table 17). About 4 in 5 offices

serving 1 million or more residents

authorized collective bargaining for

officers, as did about 3 in 5 offices

serving 250,000 to 999,999 residents. 

Nonsworn sheriffs’ employees were

about as likely to have bargaining rights

as sworn ones. Overall, 25% of

sheriffs’ offices, employing 44% of all

nonsworn personnel, authorized collective bargaining for civilian employees. 

The average starting salary for entrylevel officers was 24% higher in departments that authorized collective

bargaining than in those that did not

authorize it. Departments with collective bargaining for officers had higher

average entry-level salaries in all

population categories (figure 7). In 

jurisdictions with fewer than 25,000

residents the difference was about

$4,500, 25,000 to 99,999 residents,

$5,200; 100,000 to 499,999 residents,

$1,900; and 500,000 or more

residents, $2,400. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 9

Under 10,000 48 65

10,000-24,999 52 74

25,000-49,999 55 89

50,000-99,999 57 93

100,000-249,999 64 92

250,000-499,999 63 95

500,000-999,999 83 100

1,000,000 or more 56 81

 All sizes 55% 81%

Off-duty

employment

Maximum

work hours

Population

served

Percent of agencies 

with written policy 

directive pertaining to —

Table 16. Work-related policy 

directives maintained by sheriffs’

offices, by size of population served,

2000

Under 10,000 20 11

10,000-24,999 23 19

25,000-49,999 30 27

50,000-99,999 40 31

100,000-249,999 39 38

250,000-499,999 63 55

500,000-999,999 61 53

1,000,000 or more 81 56

 All sizes 30% 25%

 Civilian 

 employees

 Sworn

 employees

Population 

served

Percent of agencies 

authorizing collective

bargaining for —

Table 17. Collective bargaining

authorized by sheriffs’ offices, by

size of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 16 8 6 8 3 3

10,000-24,999 15 14 13 9 6 5

25,000-49,999 12 17 15 19 9 6

50,000-99,999 38 24 29 28 16 10

100,000-249,999 46 40 39 29 15 13

250,000-499,999 66 50 42 46 32 22

500,000-999,999 66 34 45 44 30 30

1,000,000 or more 72% 40% 57% 53% 40% 37%

 All sizes 24% 19% 18% 18% 10% 8%

 

 Hazardous

 duty

 Special 

 skills

 Shift 

 differential 

 Education 

Merit incentive

 Tuition 

 reimbur-

 sement 

Population

served

Percent of agencies authorizing pay for —

Table 15. Sheriffs’ offices authorizing special pay 

for full-time sworn personnel by size of population served 2000

Figure 7

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

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

Base starting salaries for entry-level deputies in sheriffs' offices authorizing

and not authorizing collective bargaining for sworn personnel, 2000

Average starting salary

Collective bargaining authorized

No collective bargaining

Population served
Operations

Patrol and response

In 2000 nearly all (98%) sheriffs’ offices

used automobiles to provide routine

patrol services in their jurisdiction (table

18). In addition, nearly a quarter used

foot patrol units (23%) and marine

patrols (22%) on a routine basis. This

included more than two-fifths of those

serving a population of 1 million or

more. Sheriffs’ offices with routine foot

patrols employed 37% of all sworn

personnel, and those with routine marine

patrols, 49%.

Thirteen percent of sheriffs’ offices had

routine bike patrols, including about half

of those serving 500,000 or more

residents. Forty-five percent of sworn

personnel were employed by an agency

using bicycle patrol units on a routine

basis. 

The percentage of sheriffs’ offices

using foot and bicycle patrols increased

after 1997, when 16% were using foot

patrols, and 6% were using bicycle

patrols (figure 8). From 1997 

to 2000, the percentage using one or

both of these patrol types increased

from 20% to 30%.

Just 7% of all sheriffs’ offices used

motorcycle patrol on a routine basis

during 2000. However, nearly half of

those serving 500,000 or more residents

did so. Sheriffs’ offices using motorcycle patrols employed 39% of all sworn

personnel. 

Five percent of sheriffs’ offices routinely

scheduled horse patrol units. Nearly a

third (31%) of the offices serving 1

million or more residents used this type

of patrol.

Nearly all sheriffs’ offices (96%) were

responsible for responding to citizen

calls for service (table 19). Agencies in

jurisdictions with 1 million or more

residents (62%) were the least likely to

perform this function.

Seventy-eight percent of sheriffs’

offices handled the dispatching of calls.

This included more than 80% of those

serving fewer than 50,000 residents.

9-1-1 emergency telephone system

In 2000, 87% of sheriffs’ offices participated in an emergency telephone

system whereby one of their units could

be dispatched as a result of a call to

9-1-1 or its equivalent (table 20).

Two-thirds of sheriffs’ offices had

enhanced 9-1-1 systems, capable of

automatically displaying information

such as a caller’s phone number and

address, as well as any special instructions that may have been provided.

10 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

Under 10,000 99 28 9 2 1 0

10,000-24,999 99 21 15 3 2 1

25,000-49,999 99 22 23 11 5 5

50,000-99,999 98 18 35 21 6 12

100,000-249,999 96 27 38 39 24 12

250,000-499,999 90 20 37 37 29 13

500,000-999,999 80 27 38 47 47 17

1,000,000 or more 68% 47% 44% 50% 44% 31%

 All sizes 98% 23% 22% 13% 7% 5%

 Horse

MotorFoot Marine Bicycle cycle Auto-

 mobile

Population

served

Percent of agencies using each

type of patrol on routine basis

Table 18. Types of patrol used on a routine basis by 

sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 8

Under 10,000 99 85

10,000-24,999 99 83

25,000-49,999 98 83

50,000-99,999 96 64

100,000-249,999 89 69

250,000-499,999 83 66

500,000-999,999 75 63

1,000,000 or more 62% 59%

 All sizes 96% 78%

Dispatching

calls for

service

Responding

to calls

for service

Population

served

 Percent of agencies

Table 19. Calls for service functions

of sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2000

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 80 43 37

10,000-24,999 86 62 24

25,000-49,999 93 72 21

50,000-99,999 93 79 14

100,000-249,999 95 91 4

250,000-499,999 85 77 8

500,000-999,999 77 73 3

1,000,000 or more 56% 53% 3%

 All sizes 87% 66% 22%

Total Enhanced Basic

Percent of agencies particiPopulation pating in 9-1-1 system

served

Table 20. Participation in a 9-1-1

emergency telephone system 

by sheriffs’ offices, by size of

population served, 2000

Either type

Foot patrol

Bicycle patrol

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Percent of agencies

2000

Sheriffs' offices using foot and bicycle patrols,

1997 and 2000

1997
The 87% participation rate in 9-1-1

during 2000 was a substantial increase

from 1990 when 42% of sheriffs’

offices were 9-1-1 participants (figure

9). In 2000, 90% of sworn personnel

were employed by an office with 9-1-1.

The 66% of sheriffs’ offices participating in an enhanced 9-1-1 system in

2000 also represented a large increase

over 1990 when 11% were participants.

In 2000, 82% of sworn personnel were

employed by an agency with enhanced

9-1-1.

Among existing sheriffs’ 9-1-1 systems,

there were about 3 times as many with

enhanced capabilities in 2000 (76%) as

in 1990 (24%). The percent of systems

that were enhanced was up significantly in all population categories 

(Highlights figure on page iv). 

In jurisdictions with fewer than 25,000

residents, the percent of systems with

enhanced capabilities went from 14%

in 1990 to 65% in 2000; 25,000 to

99,999 residents, from 24% to 80%;

100,000 to 499,999 residents, from

53% to 94%; 500,000 or more

residents, from 72% to 96%. 

Crime investigation

Overall, 93% of sheriffs’ offices

regularly investigated at least some

types of crimes during the 12-month

period ending June 30, 2000. Eighty

percent handled homicide investigations (table 21). This included about 9

in 10 offices serving a population of

25,000 to 99,999. 

Seventy-six percent of sheriffs’ offices

conducted arson investigations. This

included about 8 in 10 offices serving

10,000 to 249,999 residents. Less

than half of sheriffs’ office serving 1

million or more residents handled

arson investigations.

Drug enforcement activities

Ninety-five percent of sheriffs’ offices

regularly performed drug enforcement

functions (table 22). More than 90% 

of the offices in each population

category below 250,000 had drug

enforcement responsibilities. Offices

with drug enforcement responsibilities

employed 93% of all sworn personnel.

Twenty-nine percent of sheriffs’ offices

operated a special unit for drug

enforcement with one or more officers

assigned full-time (table 23). About

half of offices serving 100,000 or more

residents had a full-time drug enforcement unit. 

An estimated 3,270 sheriffs’ deputies

were assigned full time to drug

enforcement units nationwide. The

average number of officers assigned

ranged from 23 in jurisdictions with 1

million or more residents to 1 or 2 in

population categories under 50,000.

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 11

Under 10,000 63 65

10,000-24,999 82 76

25,000-49,999 87 84

50,000-99,999 91 84

100,000-249,999 84 80

250,000-499,999 76 66

500,000-999,999 75 64

1,000,000 or more 62% 44%

All sizes 80% 76%

Homicide Arson

Percent of 

Population agencies investigating —

served

Table 21. Homicide and arson 

investigation in sheriffs’ offices by

size of population served, 2000

Figure 9

Under 10,000 96

10,000-24,999 97

25,000-49,999 97

50,000-99,999 96

100,000-249,999 92

250,000-499,999 84

500,000-999,999 79

1,000,000 or more 68%

All sizes 95%

Percent of agencies

regularly providing

drug enforcement

Population 

served

Table 22. Drug enforcement 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2000

*Excludes agencies not having a 

unit with full-time officers.

Under 10,000 10 105 2

10,000-24,999 22 254 1

25,000-49,999 39 475 2

50,000-99,999 38 406 3

100,000-249,999 44 611 5

250,000-499,999 50 469 8

500,000-999,999 42 512 18

1,000,000 or more 56% 438 23

 All sizes 29% 3,270 4

 Total Average*

Number of 

full-time officers

Percent 

of

agencies

Population

served

 Full-time unit for 

 drug enforcement

Table 23. Special units for drug 

enforcement in sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2000

199

Percent of agencies

Any Enhanced Basic

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1990

2000

Type of 9-1-1 system

Sheriffs' offices participating in a

9-1-1 emergency telephone system,

1990 and 2000
Drug task force participation

In 2000 an estimated 40% of sheriffs’

offices had one or more officers

assigned full time to a multi-agency

drug enforcement task force (table 24).

Seventy percent of sworn personnel

worked for an agency that assigned

officers to a task force. 

Nationwide, about 2,900 sheriffs’

deputies were assigned full time to a

drug task force. The average number

assigned ranged from 12 in jurisdictions with a population of 1 million or

more 1 in those with fewer than 25,000

residents.

Drug asset forfeiture receipts

Fifty-three percent of all sheriffs’ offices

received money, property, or goods

from a drug asset forfeiture program

during 1999 (table 25). These offices

employed 78% of all sworn personnel.

About 7 in 10 offices serving a population of 50,000 or more had drug asset

forfeiture receipts.

The overall median amount received

from drug asset forfeiture programs by

sheriffs’ offices during 1999 was

$14,700. By population category, the

median amount received ranged from

$300,000 among jurisdictions with a

population of 1 million or more to

$5,000 among those with fewer than

10,000 residents. 

Collectively sheriffs’ offices received an

estimated $137 million in money goods,

and property during 1999 -- the equivalent of about $834 per sworn officer

employed. Offices with 100 to 249 fulltime sworn personnel received the

most — about $1,341 per officer (figure

10). Next highest were offices with 25

to 49 ($1,021 per officer), 1,000 or

more ($1,013), or under 25 ($939)

sworn personnel. Offices with 250 to

999 ($439) or 50 to 99 ($466) sworn

personel had the lowest receipts per

officer. 

12 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

*Excludes agencies not having officers assigned full time.

Under 10,000 13 130 1

10,000-24,999 29 345 1

25,000-49,999 47 494 2

50,000-99,999 62 567 2

100,000-249,999 68 492 3

250,000-499,999 63 260 4

500,000-999,999 76 382 7

1,000,000 or more 68% 270 12

 All sizes 40% 2,940 2

Total Average*

Population

served

Number of officers

assigned full time

Percent of

agencies

participating

Multi-agency drug enforcement task force

Table 24. Participation by sheriffs’ offices 

in multi-agency drug enforcement task forces, 

by size of population served, 2000

Note: Computation of median dollars excludes agencies 

that did not have drug asset forfeiture receipts. 

*During calendar year 1999.

Under 10,000 30 1,511,300 5,000

10,000-24,999 48 15,802,400 9,500

25,000-49,999 60 20,412,200 13,600

50,000-99,999 70 38,114,800 15,200

100,000-249,999 69 11,739,400 25,800

250,000-499,999 70 10,661,200 65,400

500,000-999,999 68 15,174,300 87,900

1,000,000 or more 72% $23,462,900 $300,000

 All sizes 53% $136,878,600 $14,700

Total Median

Value of money, goods, 

and property received

Percent of 

agencies with

receipts*

Population 

served

Table 25. Drug asset forfeiture program receipts of sheriffs’

offices, by size of population served, 1999

Figure 10 

Under 25

25-49

50-99

100-249

250-999

1,000 or more

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

by size of agency, 1999

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

Almost all sheriffs’ offices in 2000

executed arrest warrants (99.7%),

served civil process (99%), and

provided court security (97%) 

(table 26). 

Detention-related functions

Eighty-one percent of sheriffs’ offices

operated at least one jail during 2000

(table 27). Nearly 9 in 10 offices

serving jurisdictions with 25,000 to

99,999 residents operated a jail.

Ninety percent of all sheriffs’ officers

worked for an agency that operated a

jail.

Twenty percent of sheriffs’ offices

operated at least one temporary

holding (lockup) facility for adults that

was separate from a jail (table 28). 

The median maximum holding time 

for these facilities was 24 hours. 

The median total capacity of adult

lockups ranged from 110 in jurisdictions

with 500,000 to 999,999 residents to 4

in those with 10,000 to 24,999

residents. The total adult capacity of

sheriffs’ office lockups nationwide was

about 17,400.

Seven percent of sheriffs’ offices had 

a lockup facility for juveniles. The

median capacity of juvenile lockups

ranged from 15 in jurisdictions with

500,000 to 999,999 residents to 2 in

those with fewer than 50,000 residents

Nationwide juvenile lockups in sheriffs’

offices had a total capacity of about

4,600 with a median maximum holding

time of 6 hours. 

Special operations functions

An estimated 73% of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 82% of all sworn personnel,

performed search and rescue

operations on a regular basis during

2000 (table 29). Agencies serving 1

million or more residents (56%) were

the least likely to perform this function.

Forty percent of sheriffs’ offices

performed tactical operations, utilizing

what are commonly known as SWAT

(Special Weapons and Tactics) teams.

These offices employed 72% of all

sworn personnel. A majority of offices

serving a population of 25,000 or more

performed tactical operations on a

regular basis.

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 13

*

Rounded from 99.7%.

Under 10,000 10097100

10,000-24,999 9997100

25,000-49,999 10096100

50,000-99,999 10097100

100,000-249,999 9897100

250,000-499,999 96 9997

500,000-999,999 99 9396

1,000,000 or more 94% 94%87%

All sizes 99%97%100%*

Serving 

civil

process

Providing

court

security

Executing

arrest

warrants

Population 

served

Percent of agencies —

Table 26. Court-related functions 

of sheriffs’ offices, by size of 

population served, 2000

Under 10,000 68

10,000-24,999 82

25,000-49,999 87

50,000-99,999 86

100,000-249,999 88

250,000-499,999 78

500,000-999,999 71

75%1,000,000 or more

 All sizes 81%

Percent of 

agencies operating

1 or more jails

Population 

served

Table 27. Jail facilities

operated by sheriffs’ offices, by

size of population served, 2000

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

and excludes departments not operating a facility.

Under 10,000 26620

10,000-24,999 26416

25,000-49,999 26622

50,000-99,999 25 10 36

100,000-249,999 17 27 49

250,000-499,999 10142022

500,000-999,999 611025 15

1,000,000 or more 1216%9234%

 All sizes 820% 7% 2

Median total

capacity

Percent with 

lockup

Median total

capacity

Percent with 

lockup

Population 

served

JuvenileAdult

Agencies operating temporary holding (lockup) facilities

Table 28. Temporary holding (lockup) facilities operated 

by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 1876

10,000-24,999 2072

25,000-49,999 72 51

50,000-99,999 6775

100,000-249,999 6878

250,000-499,999 62 70

500,000-999,999 7870

59%56%1,000,000 or more

 All sizes 40%73%

Tactical 

operations

(SWAT)

Search 

and 

rescue

Population 

served

Percent of agencies 

routinely performing —

Table 29. Special operations

functions of sheriffs’ offices, by size

of population served, 2000
Community policing

Community policing promotes organizational strategies to address the

causes and reduce the fear of crime

and social disorder through problemsolving tactics and community partnerships. A fundamental shift from traditional reactive policing, community

policing stresses the prevention of

crime before it occurs. The implementation of a community policing plan

supports and empowers front-line

officers, decentralizes command, and

encourages innovative problem solving.

In 2000, 13% of sheriffs’ offices, employing 36% of all sworn personnel, had a

formally written community policing

plan (table 30). About a third of offices

serving a population of 100,000 or

more had such a plan. 

In all population categories of 25,000 or

more, a majority of sheriffs’ offices had

either a formal, written community

policing plan or an informal, unwritten

plan. Offices were more likely to have

a formal, written community policing

plan than an informal plan in jurisdictions with 500,000 or more residents

(figure 11). Overall, 74% of sworn

personnel worked for an agency with

some type of community policing plan.

Community policing training

During the year ending June 30, 2000,

47% of sheriffs’ offices, employing 67%

of all sworn personnel, trained at least

some new deputy recruits in community

policing skills such as problem-solving;

Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment (SARA); and developing community partnerships (table 31). 

Thirty-one percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 51% of all sworn personnel,

trained all new deputy recruits in

community policing. The proportion of

offices that trained all recruits ranged

from about half among those serving

100,000 or more residents to about a

sixth of those serving fewer than

10,000 residents.

Fifty-two percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 69% of sworn personnel,

trained at least some in-service officers

in community policing during the 1-year

period. Thirteen percent, employing

15% of all sworn personnel, trained all

in-service officers. 

Fifteen percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 34% of all nonsworn

employees, trained at least some of

these employees in community policing

during the 1-year period. This included

about 1 in 4 offices serving a population

of 250,000 or more. 

14 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

Under 10,000 6 42

10,000-24,999 5 44

25,000-49,999 15 42

50,000-99,999 18 47

100,000-249,999 29 42

250,000-499,999 30 32

500,000-999,999 41 19

1,000,000 or more 28% 31%

 All sizes 13% 42%

Informal,

unwritten

Formal,

written 

Population 

served

Percent of agencies

with community 

policing plan

Table 30. Sheriffs’ offices with a

community policing plan, by size of

population served, 2000

Figure 11

*During 1-year period ending June 30, 2000.

Under 10,000 9 3 6

10,000-24,999 13 2 11

25,000-49,999 17 4 13

50,000-99,999 21 8 13

100,000-249,999 21 4 17

250,000-499,999 26 2 24

500,000-999,999 26 3 23

1,000,000 or more 25% 3% 22%

 All sizes 15% 3% 12%

Civilian personnel

Under 10,000 36 13 23

10,000-24,999 47 12 35

25,000-49,999 56 14 42

50,000-99,999 65 11 54

100,000-249,999 61 11 50

250,000-499,999 65 11 54

500,000-999,999 54 15 39

1,000,000 or more 75% 12% 63%

 All sizes 52% 13% 39%

In-service sworn personnel

Under 10,000 30 16 14

10,000-24,999 40 24 16

25,000-49,999 51 35 16

50,000-99,999 62 43 19

100,000-249,999 60 45 15

250,000-499,999 59 48 11

500,000-999,999 60 55 5

1,000,000 or more 67% 51% 16%

 All sizes 47% 31% 16%

New deputy recruits

Total All Some

Percent of agencies 

that trained personnel 

for 8 or more hours in 

Population community policing* 

served

Table 31. Community policing 

training in sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2000

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Population served

Percent of sheriffs' offices

Community policing plans of sheriffs' offices, 2000

None

Formal, written

Informal,unwritten
Community policing personnel

Overall, 62% of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 76% of all sworn personnel,

had full-time community policing officers

(table 32). In some jurisdictions, these

officers may be known as community

relations officers, community resource

officers, or some other name indicative

of the community policing approach

they employed. Nationwide, sheriffs’

offices employed about 16,500

community policing officers or their

equivalent. 

A majority of sheriffs’ offices in all

population categories had full-time

community policing officers. Those

serving a population of 1 million or

more employed 161 such officers on

average. Offices serving fewer than

10,000 residents had 4 on average.

In all population categories the percentage of sheriffs’ offices using community policing officers was greater in

2000 than in 1997 (figure 12). In jurisdictions with fewer than 25,000

residents, the percentage rose from

15% to 63%; in those with 25,000 to

99,999 residents, from 34% to 56%; in

those with 100,000 to 499,999

residents, from 44% to 70%; and in

those with 500,000 or more residents,

from 56% to 72%.

An estimated 48% of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 71% of all sworn personnel,

had full-time school resource officers

during 2000 (table 33). A majority of

offices serving a population of 25,000

or more used school resource officers,

including about two-thirds of those in

jurisdictions with 250,000 to 999,999

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. 

Overall, sheriffs’ offices had about

5,300 full-time sworn personnel

assigned as school resource officers

as of June 2000. The average number

of school resource officers ranged from

44 in jurisdictions with 1 million or more

residents, to 2 in those with fewer than

50,000 residents.

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 15

*Excludes agencies that did not employ any 

full-time community policing officers.

Under 10,000 63 1,614 4

10,000-24,999 54 2,190 5

25,000-49,999 59 2,087 6

50,000-99,999 68 1,747 7

100,000-249,999 72 2,025 10

250,000-499,999 73 2,225 26

500,000-999,999 73 1,156 23

1,000,000 or more 65% 3,502 161

 All sizes 62% 16,545 9

Average

number 

of full-time

sworn*

Total 

number

of officers

Percent 

of agencies

using

Population 

served

Community policing officers

Table 32. Full-time community policing officers in

sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

*Excludes agencies that did not employ any 

full-time school resource officers.

Under 10,000 33 344 2

10,000-24,999 40 603 2

25,000-49,999 52 805 2

50,000-99 ,999 62 712 3

100,000-249,999 63 951 5

250,000-499,999 70 607 8

500,000-999,999 66 418 9

1,000,000 or more 59% 872 44

 All sizes 48% 5,311 4

Average

number 

of full-time

sworn*

Total

number

of officers

Percent 

of agencies

using

Population

served

School resource officers

Table 33. Full-time school resource officers in sheriffs’

offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 12

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

Percent of sheriffs' offices using full-time

community policing officers, 1997 and 2000

2000
Community-oriented policies 

and programs

Forty-nine percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 71% of all sworn personnel,

gave patrol officers responsibility for

specific geographic areas or beats

during 2000 (table 34). This included a

majority of those serving a population

of 25,000 or more.

Seventeen percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 45% of all sworn personnel,

assigned cases to investigators by

geographic area. This included half of

the offices serving 1 million or more

residents, and about two-fifths of those

serving 100,000 to 999,999 residents.

Twenty-three percent of sheriffs’ offices, 

employing 39% of all sworn personnel,

actively encouraged patrol officers to

become involved in problem-solving

projects. About a third of those serving

100,000 or more residents had such a

policy.

Nine percent of sheriffs’ offices

included problem-solving projects in the

performance evaluation criteria for

patrol officers. This included 25% of

those serving 1 million or more

residents. Offices including problemsolving projects in performance evaluation criteria employed 20% of all sworn

personnel.

Twenty-two percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 44% of all sworn personnel,

upgraded technology to support their 

community policing efforts (table 35).

This included more than a third of the

offices serving 100,000 or more

residents. 

An estimated 22% of sheriffs’ offices 

enhanced their proactive role in solving

community problems by forming

problem-solving partnerships with

community groups, local agencies, or

others through written agreements.

Sheriffs’ offices forming partnerships

through written agreements employed

41% of all sworn personnel.

Sixteen percent of sheriffs' offices,

employing 36% of all sworn personnel,

offered training to citizens on community policing topics such as community

mobilization and problem-solving

during the 12-month period ending

June 30, 2000. About a third of those

serving 250,000 or more residents

more offered such training. 

Ten percent of sheriffs’ offices, employing 35% of all sworn personnel,

conducted a citizen police academy

during the year ending June 30, 2000.

About a third of those serving a population of 100,000 or more conducted

citizen academies during this period,

compared to fewer than 1 in 10 offices

serving a population of under 50,000. 

Eighty-one percent of sheriffs’ offices

met regularly with community groups

during the year ending June 30, 2000.

This included about 90% of those

serving a population of 25,000 to

999,999. Sheriffs’ offices regularly

holding community group meetings

employed 92% of all sworn personnel. 

16 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

Under 10,000 30 5 20 7

10,000-24,999 39 10 18 8

25,000-49,999 61 16 22 10

50,000-99,999 65 28 26 9

100,000-249,999 65 40 32 11

250,000-499,999 68 35 33 19

500,000-999,999 60 41 32 18

1,000,000 or more 53% 50% 34% 25%

 All sizes 49% 17% 23% 9%

 Included in

 evaluation

Actively 

Investigators encouraged

 Patrol 

 officers

Population

served

Patrol officer involvement 

in problem-solving projects

 

Geographic assignments

Table 34. Community-oriented policies for sworn personnel 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 69 12 16 8 1

10,000-24,999 76 16 15 11 3

25,000-49,999 87 24 24 21 7

50,000-99,999 94 31 29 17 18

100,000-249,999 89 34 36 20 32

250,000-499,999 89 40 48 32 33

500,000-999,999 93 34 27 35 33

1,000,000 or more 75% 40% 37% 34% 34%

 All sizes 81% 22% 22% 16% 10%

 

 

 Conducted 

 citizen police 

 academy

Trained

citizens in

community

policing

 Formed

 problem- 

 solving 

 partnerships

Upgraded

technology

to support

community

policing

Held 

community

group

meetings

Population

served

Activities in year ending June 30, 2000

Table 35. Community policing activities of sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2000
Most sheriffs’ offices met with a wide

variety of community groups during 2000.

Those that regularly met with school

groups employed 75% of all sworn

personnel (figure 13). The corresponding percentages for other types of

groups were as follows: neighborhood

associations (69%), domestic violence

groups (58%), local public agencies

(57%), senior citizen groups (55%),

business groups (54%), advocacy

groups (45%), youth service organizations (42%), religious groups (37%),

and tenants’ associations (27%).

Nineteen percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 38% of all sworn personnel,

surveyed citizens in their jurisdiction

during the year ending June 30, 2000

(table 36). Twelve percent of offices,

employing 32% of all sworn personnel,

surveyed citizens’ regarding their satisfaction with agency services. Nearly 3

in 10 offices serving 100,000 or more

residents conducted this type of

survey.

Eight percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 27% of all sworn personnel,

surveyed citizens regarding their

perception of crime problems; 8%,

employing 21% of all sworn personnel,

surveyed citizens regarding crime

reporting; and 5%, employing 19% of

all sworn personnel, surveyed citizens

regarding their personal crime

experiences.

A majority of the sheriffs’ offices

conducting surveys used the data to

provide information to officers (70%),

or to evaluate program effectiveness

(58%) (figure 14). Other common uses

included formulation of agency policy

and procedures (44%), training development (44%), prioritizing crime and

disorder problems (42%), and allocation of resources to neighborhoods

(35%). 

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 17

Figure 13

Under 10,000 9 4 3 4 2

10,000-24,999 16 8 5 8 1

25,000-49,999 21 14 6 8 9

50,000-99,999 19 11 11 7 7

100,000-249,999 35 26 19 11 11

250,000-499,999 34 27 21 19 14

500,000-999,999 33 24 19 12 14

1,000,000 or more 34% 31% 34% 28% 22%

 All sizes 19% 12% 8% 8% 5%

Personal

crime

experiences

Reporting of

crimes to law

enforcement

Perceptions

of crime

problems

Satisfaction

with services

Any

topic

Population

served

Percent of agencies that surveyed citizens during

12-month period ending June 30, 2000 regarding —

Table 36. Surveying of citizens by sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2000

Figure 14

Tenant associations

Religious groups

Youth service organizations

Advocacy groups

Business groups

Senior citizen groups

Local public agencies

Domestic violence groups

Neighborhood associations

School groups

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Percent of sheriffs' deputies employed by

Type of group

Groups that sheriffs' offices regularly met

agencies that met with each type of group

with to address crime-related problems, 2000

Uses of citizen survey information by sheriffs' offices, 2000

Percent of agencies that surveyed citizens

Redistrict beats/reporting areas

Allocate resources to neighborhoods

Prioritize crime/disorder problems

Training development

Formulate agency policy/procedures

Evaluate program effectiveness

Provide information to patrol officers

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Equipment

Sidearms

In 2000, 97% of sheriffs’ offices authorized the use of some type of semiautomatic sidearm (table 37). This

represents a significant increase from

1990 when 74% authorized them. 

In 2000, 73% of sheriffs’ offices authorized the .40-caliber semiautomatic.

This represents an increase from 59%

in 1997, the first year for which comparable data are available. Offices authorizing the .40-caliber in 2000 employed

69% of all sworn personnel. 

Sixty-five percent of offices, employing

74% of all sworn personnel, authorized

the 9mm. Other semiautomatic

sidearms authorized included the

.45-caliber (59%), the .380-caliber

(38%), and the 10mm (32%). Fortyseven percent of sheriffs’ offices

authorized the use of revolvers by

sworn personnel.

Sixty-four percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 73% of all sworn personnel,

supplied regular field officers with their

primary sidearm. Three percent of

offices, employing 3% of all sworn

personnel, provided a cash allowance. 

Body armor

In 2000, 65% of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 73% of all sworn personnel,

required at least some field officers to

wear protective body armor while on

duty (table 38). Eighty-two percent of

offices, employing 89% of all sworn

personnel, supplied armor to officers

and 4% provided a cash allowance.

The percentage of sheriffs’ offices

requiring all field officers to wear body

armor increased from 21% in 1990 to

52% in 2000. Such an increase was

seen in all population categories (figure

15): Under 25,000 residents, 21% to

46%; 25,000 to 99,999, 25% to 58%;

100,000 to 499,999, 23% to 60%;

500,000 or more, 17% to 53%. 

Nonlethal weapons 

In 2000 nearly all sheriffs’ offices authorized sworn personnel to use one or

more types of nonlethal weapons.

Chemical agents, such as pepper

spray, were the most commonly authorized (table 39). Eighty-eight percent of

sheriffs’ offices, employing 88% of

sworn personnel, authorized the use of

pepper spray. 

Batons were also commonly authorized,

with 84% of all sheriffs’ offices allowing

their use. Those authorizing one or

more types of batons employed 90% of

all sworn personnel. Collapsible batons

(73%) were authorized by more than

twice as many offices as PR-24 (34%)

or traditional (32%) batons.

18 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

Under 10,000 98 64 60 60 31 27

10,000-24,999 96 72 65 57 32 31

25,000-49,999 99 81 61 62 41 33

50,000-99,999 98 82 68 56 43 37

100,000-249,999 99 75 74 63 54 41

250,000-499,999 97 73 78 62 53 42

500,000-999,999 96 63 67 52 30 24

1,000,000 or more 97% 56% 76% 69% 53% 22%

 All sizes 97% 73% 65% 59% 38% 32%

 Any type .40 9mm .45 .380 10mm

Percent of agencies authorizing 

Population semiautomatic sidearms

served

Table 37. Semiautomatic sidearms authorized for use

by sworn personnel in sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 51 43 8

10,000-24,999 63 49 14

25,000-49,999 71 58 13

50,000-99,999 74 57 17

100,000-249,999 69 59 10

250,000-499,999 70 61 9

500,000-999,999 82 57 25

1,000,000 or more 79% 47% 32%

 All sizes 65% 52% 13%

Some 

officers

All 

Total officers

Population 

served

Percent of agencies requiring field

officers to wear armor while on duty

Table 38. Body armor requirements for field

officers in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population

served, 2000

Figure 15

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Population served

Percent of agencies

1990

2000

officers to wear protective armor, 1990 and 2000

Sheriffs' offices requiring all regular field
Four-fifths of sworn personnel in

sheriffs’ offices nationwide worked for

an agency authorizing collapsible

batons and two-fifths for one authorizing traditional (44%) or PR-24 (41%)

batons. 

Twenty-three percent of sheriffs’

offices, employing 48% of all sworn

personnel, authorized flash/bang

grenades. Ten percent of offices,

employing 22% of all sworn personnel,

authorized electrical devices such as

stun guns and tasers. 

Eight percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 17% of all sworn personnel,

authorized the use of carotid holds,

choke holds, or neck restraints. 

Offices serving a population of 1 million

or more (25%) were the most likely to

authorize these types of actions.

From 1990 to 2000, 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

90%; 100,000 to 499,999 residents,

59% to 90%; 25,000 to 99,999

residents, 52% to 93%; and under

25,000 residents, 49% to 85%. In

2000, 89% of sworn personnel were

employed by a sheriffs’ office that

authorized chemical agents.

Use of force policies

Ninety-two percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 98% of all sworn personnel,

had a written policy pertaining to the

use of deadly force (table 40). Nearly

all offices serving 25,000 or more

residents had such a policy. 

Eighty-five percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 94% of all sworn personnel,

had a written policy pertaining to the

use of nonlethal force. At least 92% of

the agencies in each population

category of 25,000 or more had this

type of policy.

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 19

-- Less than 0.5%. 

a

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

b

Includes neck restraints. 

Under 10,000 84 84 3 6 77 62 30 30 6 9 8 9 4 3 0

10,000-24,999 86 85 3 3 82 73 31 28 11 4 10 8 2 2 1

25,000-49,999 93 92 6 5 86 76 38 32 30 13 8 5 6 1 0

50,000-99,999 93 93 5 3 90 85 38 41 38 11 9 3 4 1 0

100,000-249,999 93 91 5 3 89 76 33 37 43 17 14 9 12 2 --

250,000-499,999 84 84 1 0 88 80 49 38 48 28 22 13 11 0 1

500,000-999,999 93 90 9 3 90 78 34 29 44 18 15 15 3 0 0

1,000,000 or more 85% 85% 0% 3% 88% 65% 25% 54% 44% 22% 32% 25% 12% 6% 3%

 All sizes 89% 88% 4% 4% 84% 73% 34% 32% 23% 10% 10% 8% 5% 2% --%

Capture

net

BlackjackRubber

bullet

Choke/

carotid

holdb

Electrical 

devicesa

Soft

projectile

Flash/

bang

grenade

 

Tradi-

 PR-24 tional 

Collap-

 sible

Any type

listed in 

survey

 

Tear

gas

 

CS

Pepper

spray

Any type

listed in

survey

Population

served

Chemical agents — personal use Batons Other weapons/actions

Percent of agencies authorizing 

Table 39. Types of nonlethal weapons authorized for personal use by sworn personnel

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 16

Under 10,000 82 69

10,000-24,999 90 80

25,000-49,999 97 92

50,000-99,999 98 97

100,000-249,999 99 98

250,000-499,999 100 95

500,000-999,999 100 97

1,000,000 or more 97% 94%

 All sizes 92% 85%

Nonlethal

force

Deadly 

force 

Population

served

Percent of agencies

with a policy directive

pertaining to use of:

Table 40. Written policy directives

pertaining to officer use of force 

In sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2000

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 officers

2000

Population served

1990

to use chemical agents, 1990 and 2000
Vehicles

Nationwide, sheriffs’ offices operated

an estimated 105,758 cars, or about 64

cars per 100 sworn personnel (table

41). By population category, the ratio

of cars to sworn personnel was lowest

in jurisdictions with 1 million or more

residents C 42 cars per 100 officers.

This was about half the ratio in jurisdictions with fewer than 25,000 residents.

About a third of the cars operated by

sheriffs’ offices were unmarked (35%).

The proportion of cars that were

unmarked ranged from about two-fifths

in jurisdictions with a population of

250,000 or more to one-sixth in jurisdictions with fewer than 10,000 residents.

In addition to cars, 74% of sheriffs’

offices used other 4-wheel motorized

vehicles such as sport utility vehicles,

trucks or vans (table 42). Overall, there

were about 15,800 such vehicles

operated, or about 10 per 100 sworn

personnel.

Nine percent of sheriffs’ offices used

motorcycles during 2000, including

about half of those serving a population

of 500,000 or more. Nationwide,

sheriffs’ offices operated about 1,500

motorcycles, or about 1 for every 100

sworn personnel. 

Fourteen percent of sheriffs’ offices

were using bicycles as of June 2000,

with a total of about 2,900 nationwide

(table 43). The overall ratio of bicycles

to sworn personnel was 2 per 100.

20 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

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

Under 10,000 3,548 86 16

10,000-24,999 10,516 84 23

25,000-49,999 14,250 74 27

50,000-99,999 14,216 69 30

100,000-249,999 20,491 66 34

250,000-499,999 16,676 71 40

500,000-999,999 13,569 59 41

1,000,000 or more 12,492 42 44%

 All sizes 105,758 64 35%

Per 100

Total officers*

Population 

served

Percent of 

cars that

were unmarked

Number of cars

Table 41. Number of cars operated by sheriffs’ offices, by

size of population served, 2000

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

--Less than 0.5.

Under 10,000 60 885 22 1 12 --

10,000-24,999 67 1,567 13 2 25 --

25,000-49,999 78 1,899 10 6 79 --

50,000-99,999 87 1,717 8 8 105 1

100,000-249,999 94 2,496 8 26 239 1

250,000-499,999 87 2,598 11 32 328 1

500,000-999,999 94 1,994 9 54 284 1

1,000,000 or more 78% 2,607 9 47% 463 2

 All sizes 74% 15,763 10 9% 1,535 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 42. Number of motorcycles and 4-wheel motorized vehicles other than

cars operated by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

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

--Less than 0.5.

Under 10,000 2 21 1

10,000-24,999 3 50 --

25,000-49,999 13 273 1

50,000-99,999 22 276 1

100,000-249,999 41 596 2

250,000-499,999 46 611 3

500,000-999,999 51 433 2

1,000,000 or more 59% 685 2

 All sizes 14% 2,944 2

Per 100

Total officers

Population 

served

 Percent Number of bicycles

 of agencies

 using bicycles

Table 43. Number of bicycles operated by sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2000
Vehicle-related policies

Ninety percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 75% of sworn personnel,

allowed officers to take marked

vehicles home (table 44). The percentage with such a policy was highest in

jurisdictions with fewer than 25,000

residents (96%). In contrast, 31% 

of agencies serving a population 

of 1 million or more had such a policy.

In a large majority of the jurisdictions

that allowed marked vehicles to be

taken home, officers were allowed only

to drive the vehicle to and from work.

Just 21% of sheriffs’ offices allowed

officers to operate a marked vehicle for

personal errands, with those serving

100,000 to 249,999 residents (29%)

the most likely to have such a policy.

Forty-seven percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 56% of all sworn personnel,

had a restrictive pursuit driving policy

(table 45). This type of policy restricts 

pursuits according to criteria such as

offense type or maximum speed. 

Thirty-six percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 27% of all sworn personnel,

had a judgmental pursuit policy, one

that leaves pursuit decisions to the

officer’s discretion. Five percent of

offices, employing 5% of all sworn

personnel, discouraged all vehicle

pursuits. 

Off-land vehicles

Thirty percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 59% of sworn personnel,

operated at least one boat during 2000.

This included about half of those

serving 50,000 to 499,999 residents, or

1 million or more residents (table 46).

Nationwide, sheriffs’ offices operated

about 2,300 boats during 2000. 

Four percent of sheriffs’ offices, employing 28% of sworn personnel, used

helicopters in 2000. This included

about a fourth of those serving 250,000

or more residents. There were an

estimated 310 sheriffs’ helicopters in

use during 2000.

Three percent of sheriffs’ offices

operated at least 1 airplane, with a total

about 110 in use nationwide. Roughly

1 in 5 offices serving 50,000 or more

residents operated at least 1 airplane.

Sheriffs’ offices using airplanes

employed 20% of all sworn personnel.

Animals

Fifty-one percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 78% of all sworn personnel,

used dogs for law enforcement activities (table 47). This included more

than two-thirds of those serving 50,000

or more residents. Overall, about

3,700 dogs were maintained by

sheriffs’ offices in 2000.

About 4% of sheriffs’ offices, employing 14% of all sworn personnel, used

horses for law enforcement purposes.

This included a quarter of those

serving 1 million or more residents.

Sheriffs’ offices collectively maintained

approximately 1,100 horses.

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 21

Under 10,000 26 0

10,000-24,999 45 1

25,000-49,999 55 3

50,000-99,999 76 5

100,000-249,999 69 12

250,000-499,999 73 11

500,000-999,999 76 14

1,000,000 or more 65% 25%

 All sizes 51% 4%

Dogs Horses

Population Percent of agencies with —

served

Table 47. Animals maintained 

by sheriffs’ offices, by size

of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 12 0 0

10,000-24,999 22 1 2

25,000-49,999 32 3 2

50,000-99,999 47 7 4

100,000-249,999 55 11 6

250,000-499,999 52 22 21

500,000-999,999 39 24 15

1,000,000 or more 53% 31% 22%

 All sizes 30% 4% 3%

 Air-

 planes

 HeliBoats coptersPopulation

served

Percent of agencies with —

Table 46. Off-land vehicles operated

by sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2000

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

Under 10,000 88 32 51 1 4

10,000-24,999 88 44 35 6 3

25,000-49,999 97 49 39 4 5

50,000-99,999 97 64 26 6 1

100,000-249,999 98 60 28 8 2

250,000-499,999 98 61 19 10 8

500,000-999,999 95 59 17 15 3

1,000,000 or more 74% 37% 28% 3% 6%

 All sizes 92% 47% 36% 5% 3%

Other

DiscourRestrictive Judgmental agement

Total 

with policy

Population

served

Agency’s written policy towards pursuit driving

Table 45. Pursuit driving policies of sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 96 18 78

10,000-24,999 96 20 76

25,000-49,999 90 25 65

50,000-99,999 88 19 69

100,000-249,999 81 29 52

250,000-499,999 72 19 53

500,000-999,999 75 14 61

1,000,000 or more 31% 6% 25%

 All sizes 90% 21% 69%

Total Allowed Not allowed

Population Personal use

served

 Percent of agencies allowing officers

 to take marked vehicles home

 

Table 44. Vehicle use policies in sheriffs’ offices,

by size of population served, 2000
Video cameras

Fifty-three percent of all sheriffs’ offices

used video cameras on a regular basis

during the year ending June 30, 2000

(table 48). Agencies regularly using

video cameras employed 68% of all

sworn personnel. The most common

use of video cameras was in patrol cars

(40%). Sheriffs’ offices using video

cameras in cars employed 50% of all

sworn personnel. 

Twenty percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 24% of all sworn personnel,

used video cameras for fixed-site

surveillance. Thirteen percent of

offices, employing 26% of all sworn

personnel, used video cameras for

mobile surveillance. Seven percent of

offices, employing 14% of all sworn

personnel, used video cameras for

traffic enforcement.

Special technologies

Twenty-one percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 43% of all sworn personnel,

use infrared (thermal) imagers on a

regular basis (table 49). Eight percent

of offices, employing 15% of all sworn

personnel, used image intensifiers.

Laser range finders were used regularly

by 8% of all sheriffs’ offices, employing

15% of all sworn personnel. 

Electrical/engine disruption technology

was used regularly by less than 0.5% of

all sheriffs’ offices. These agencies

employed 6% of all sworn personnel.

Two percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 20% of all sworn personnel,

used stolen vehicle tracking technology

on a regular basis. Tire deflation

spikes were used regularly by 41% 

of all sheriffs’ offices, employing 56% 

of all sworn personnel. 

Forty-seven percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 72% of all sworn personnel,

regularly used digital imaging technology for mugshots. Twenty-one percent

of offices, employing 41% of all sworn

personnel, used digital imaging technology for suspect composites. Twentyseven percent of offices, employing

62% of all sworn personnel, regularly

used digital imaging technology for

fingerprints. 

22 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

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

Under 10,000 40 30 3 13 5 5 1 3 2

10,000-24,999 47 33 4 20 4 12 2 5 5

25,000-49,999 61 50 4 23 6 14 1 7 2

50,000-99,999 67 53 8 21 7 16 2 8 7

100,000-249,999 63 46 11 27 14 16 2 13 7

250,000-499,999 60 43 14 17 30 23 2 15 8

500,000-999,999 57 32 20 28 52 28 5 11 7

1,000,000 or more 62% 40% 33 25% 66 37% 4 16% 8

 All sizes 53% 40% 6 20% 9 13% 2 7% 5

 Average

 number*

 Percent

 using

 Average

 number*

 Percent

 using

 Average

 number*

 Percent

 using

 Average

 number*

 Percent

 using

 Traffic

 enforcement

 Mobile

 surveillance

 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 for—

Table 48. Use of video cameras by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

-- Less than 0.5%.

Under 10,000 11 4 1 30 1 0 25 1 6

10,000-24,999 17 7 4 35 1 0 37 14 16

25,000-49,999 26 6 9 47 -- 0 51 25 29

50,000-99,999 25 10 15 49 2 2 61 30 44

100,000-249,999 29 17 21 61 4 0 73 47 57

250,000-499,999 34 13 13 51 15 2 82 45 68

500,000-999,999 35 11 12 37 15 2 70 39 66

1,000,000 or more 37% 22% 10% 44% 31% 3% 53% 44% 53%

 All sizes 21% 8% 8% 41% 2% --% 47% 21% 27%

 Finger- 

 prints

 Suspect

 composites

 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 49. Special technologies used by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000
Computers and information systems

Computer functions

Sheriffs’ offices utilized computers for a

wide variety of functions in 2000. For

example, 63% of offices, employing

78% of all sworn personnel, used

computers for records management

(table 50). 

Two-thirds of sheriffs’ offices used

computers for Internet access, including about four-fifths of those serving a

population of 50,000 or more. Those

using computers for Internet access

employed 84% of all sworn personnel

in 2000. 

More than twice as many sheriffs’

offices used computers for Internet

access in 2000 (67%) as in 1997

(31%). Among those serving fewer

than 25,000 residents, nearly 4 times

as many were using computers for this

purpose in 2000 (57%) as in 1997

(15%) (figure 17). The increases in

other population categories were as

follows: 25,000 to 99,999 residents,

from 26% to 64%; 100,000 to 499,999

residents, from 47% to 79%; 500,000

or more residents, from 62% to 82%.

Sixty percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 77%% of sworn personnel,

used computers for automated

booking. A majority of the offices in

jurisdictions with 10,000 or more

residents had this capability. 

In 2000, 48% of sheriffs’ offices used

computers for crime investigations,

including a majority of those serving

25,000 or more residents. Those using

computers for crime investigations

employed 62% of all sworn personnel. 

Forty-seven percent of sheriffs’ offices

used computers for dispatching calls

for service. A majority of those serving

a population of 25,000 or more had

computer-aided dispatch, and 68% of

all sworn personnel worked for an

office with this capability.

Forty-six percent of offices, employing

69% of all sworn personnel, used

computers to maintain personnel

records. 

Twenty-seven percent of offices,

employing 51% of all sworn personnel,

used computers for crime analysis. 

 

Related to crime analysis efforts in

sheriffs’ offices is the use of crime

mapping. In 2000, 13% of offices,

including 44% of those serving 1 million

or more residents used computers in

conjunction with crime mapping.

Offices using computers for crime

mapping employed 37% of all sworn

personnel in 2000.

Thirty-three percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 55% of all sworn personnel,

used computers for interagency information sharing. 

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 23

Under 10,000 57 45 38 35 26 36 20 16 13 5 3

10,000-24,999 58 60 53 43 40 38 32 20 13 9 7

25,000-49,999 72 71 72 53 55 47 28 30 21 11 11

50,000-99,999 81 72 76 64 59 59 39 37 29 21 12

100,000-249,999 77 74 79 60 68 58 47 47 43 24 18

250,000-499,999 88 80 56 60 61 68 58 43 50 35 29

500,000-999,999 75 67 63 51 54 66 47 42 54 29 24

1,000,000 or more 75% 69% 73% 50% 56% 68% 76% 50% 53% 44% 53%

 All sizes 67% 63% 60% 48% 47% 46% 33% 27% 22% 13% 11%

 Resource 

 allocation

 Crime 

 mapping

 Fleet 

 manage-

 ment

Crime 

analysis

Interagency 

information

sharing

 Pers-

 onnel

 Dispatch records

 Crime

 Invest-

 igations

 Automated

 booking

 

 Records

 manage-

 ment

 Internet 

access

Population

served

Percent of agencies using computers for —

Table 50. Functions of computers in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 17

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

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

Sheriffs' offices using computers for Internet access, 1997 and 2000

Population served

2000

1997

Percent of agencies
Computerized files

In 2000 a majority of sheriffs’ offices

were maintaining computerized files on

incident reports (74%), warrants (73%),

arrests (72%), stolen property (61%),

and calls for service (59%) (table 51).

All of these types of information were

maintained in a computerized format by

a majority of the agencies in each

population category of 10,000 or more.

Less than half of all sheriffs’ offices

maintained computerized files on traffic

citations (44%), criminal histories

(43%), traffic accidents (41%), summonses (41%), alarms (27%), traffic

stops (25%), use of force incidents

(20%), fingerprints (19%), and linked

files for crime analysis (13%) (table 52).

Except for alarms (47%), fingerprints

(46%), traffic stops (41%), use of force

incidents (40%), and linked files for

crime analysis (31%), a majority of

sworn personnel worked for a sheriffs’

office that had computer files on each

type of information included in the 2000

LEMAS survey. 

Fourteen percent of all sheriffs’ offices

had exclusive or shared ownership of

an Automatic Fingerprint Identification

System (AFIS) that included a file of

digitized prints (table 53). These

agencies employed 41% of all sworn

personnel. About two-fifths of the

offices serving a population of 250,000

or more owned an AFIS system.

Seventeen percent of sheriffs’ offices

used an AFIS terminal with access to a

remote system. These agencies

employed 27% of all sworn personnel.

Overall, 31% of sheriffs’ offices, employing 68% of all sworn personnel, had some

type of AFIS capability. This included a

majority of those serving a population of

100,000 or more.

24 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

Under 10,000 65 51 55 48 43

10,000-24,999 68 75 67 60 53

25,000-49,999 82 79 82 68 64

50,000-99,999 86 88 87 75 74

100,000-249,999 81 85 84 69 79

250,000-499,999 72 80 74 55 67

500,000-999,999 60 75 69 45 58

1,000,000 or more 59% 82% 62% 44% 56%

 All sizes 74% 73% 72% 61% 59%

 

 

 Calls for 

 service

 Stolen 

 property

 

 Arrests

 

 Warrants

 Incident

 reports

Population 

served

Percent of agencies maintaining

computerized information files on —

Table 51. Types of computerized information files maintained by more

than half of sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 30 31 36 22 14 13 13 5 4

10,000-24,999 36 35 35 40 21 22 13 10 7

25,000-49,999 49 51 46 45 28 29 27 21 16

50,000-99,999 64 52 50 61 38 29 21 30 17

100,000-249,999 63 62 51 48 47 48 29 36 29

250,000-499,999 44 51 43 51 44 27 30 43 26

500,000-999,999 45 52 38 43 45 31 44 45 26

1,000,000 or more 44% 50% 44% 25% 34% 37% 47% 47% 28%

 All sizes 44% 43% 41% 41% 27% 25% 20% 19% 13%

 Linked 

 files for 

 crime 

 analysis

 Finger-

 prints

 Use of 

 force 

 incidents

 Traffic

Alarms stops

 Summ-

 onses

 Traffic 

 acci-

 dents

Criminal

histories

 

 Traffic 

 cita-

 tions

Population 

served

Percent of agencies maintaining

computerized information files on —

Table 52. Types of computerized information files maintained by less than half

of sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 15 2 13

10,000-24,999 19 8 11

25,000-49,999 31 17 14

50,000-99,999 49 23 26

100,000-249,999 59 26 33

250,000-499,999 65 39 26

500,000-999,999 73 42 31

1,000,000 or more 62% 37% 25%

 All sizes 31% 14% 17%

 Remote access

 terminal only

 Exclusive or shared

 ownership

 Total with 

 access

Percent of agencies with AFIS ownership or remote access 

Table 53. Use of Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) 

in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000
Use of computers in the field

A majority of sheriffs’ offices serving

100,000 or more residents used mobile

computers or terminals in the field

during 2000, including about threequarters of those serving 250,000 to

499,999 residents (table 54). Overall

32% of sheriffs’ offices, employing 61%

of all sworn personnel, were using

in-field computers or terminals. 

Fifteen percent of all sheriffs’ offices,

employing 46% of all sworn personnel,

used vehicle-mounted computers in

2000. This included about 3 in 5

offices serving 250,000 to 999,999

residents. 

About 3 in 10 offices serving a population of 250,000 or more were using

vehicle-mounted digital/data terminals.

Overall, 6% of offices, employing 26%

of all sworn personnel, used them.

Eight percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 16% of all sworn personnel,

used vehicle-mounted laptops during

2000. Four percent used vehiclemounted digital/data computers.

Twenty-five percent of all sheriffs’

offices, employing 38% of all sworn

personnel, used portable (not vehiclemounted) computers in 2000. This

included half of those serving 250,000

to 499,999 residents. 

Portable laptops, the most common

type of in-field computer, were used by

24% of sheriffs’ offices. These

agencies employed about a third of all

sworn personnel. Less common were

portable digital/data terminals (1%) and

portable digital/data computers (1%).

The 32% of sheriffs’ offices using

in-field computers or terminals in 2000

was more than 5 times the percentage

using them in 1990 (6%). 

From 1990 to 2000, increases in the

use of in-field computers and terminals

occurred in jurisdictions of all sizes

(figure 18). During this period, in-field

computer use among offices serving

500,000 or more residents increased

from 45% to 63%; among those

serving 100,000 to 499,999 residents,

from 14% to 61%; among those

serving 25,000 to 99,999 residents,

from 6% to 37%; and among those

serving fewer than 25,000 residents,

from 2% to 20%.

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 25

Under 10,000 17 3 3 0 1 16 14 0 0

10,000-24,999 22 5 3 1 1 19 19 1 1

25,000-49,999 34 10 5 4 3 28 28 0 1

50,000-99,999 42 25 13 9 10 30 30 1 2

100,000-249,999 55 34 17 18 8 39 35 3 3

250,000-499,999 76 60 31 26 18 50 46 2 2

500,000-999,999 67 58 18 36 4 39 31 6 5

1,000,000 or more 53% 41% 10% 28% 22% 34% 31% 6% 13%

 All sizes 32% 15% 8% 6% 4% 25% 24% 1% 1%

 Digital/data 

 computer

 Digital/data 

 Any type Laptop terminal

 Digital/data

 computer

 Digital/data 

 Any type Laptop terminal

Any in-field Vehicle-mounted Portable (not vehicle-mounted)

computer or

terminal

Population

served

Percent of agencies using in-field computers or terminals

Table 54. Types of in-field computers or terminals used 

by sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 18

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

1990

2000

Population served

Percent of agencies

Sheriffs' offices using in-field computers or terminals, 1990 and 2000
Twenty percent of sheriffs’ offices used

in-field computers or terminals for

writing field reports (table 55). These

agencies employed 33% of all sworn

personnel. Thirteen percent of sheriffs’

offices, employing 34% of all sworn

personnel, used in-field computers for

at least some in-field communications. 

In approximately 1 in 7 sheriffs’ offices,

at least some officers in the field could

use computers to access vehicle or

driving records (table 56). This

included about half of those serving a

population of 250,000 or more.

Agencies using in-field computers for

these purposes employed about

two-fifths of all sworn personnel. 

In 11% of sheriffs’ offices, employing

24% of all sworn personnel, in-field

computers or terminals could be used

to access calls for service information.

This included two-fifths of those serving

250,000 to 499,999 residents, about a

third of those serving 1 million or more,

and about a fourth of those serving

100,000 to 249,999 and 500,000 to

999,999 residents. 

In 9% of sheriffs’ offices, employing

29% of all sworn personnel, in-field

computers or terminals could be used

to access criminal history information.

This included about a third of offices

serving a population of 250,000 or

more.

In 4% of sheriffs’ offices, employing 6%

of all sworn personnel, in-field officers

had access to linked files for crime

analysis. This included 17% of

agencies serving 250,000 to 499,999

residents.

From 1997 to 2000, the percentage of

sworn personnel employed by a

sheriffs’ office providing at least some

officers with access to information via

in-field computers increased for each

type of information included in the

LEMAS survey (figure 19). For motor

vehicle records, the increase was from

40% to 45%; driving records, 38% to

42%; criminal history records, 29% to

33%; calls for service, 24% to 33%;

linked files for crime analysis, 6% to

8%.

26 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000

Under 10,000 16 7

10,000-24,999 14 6

25,000-49,999 18 10

50,000-99,999 32 18

100,000-249,999 29 30

250,000-499,999 34 35

500,000-999,999 28 26

1,000,000 or more 44% 37%

 All sizes 20% 13%

CommunicationsField

reports

Population

served

 Percent of agencies using

 in-field computers for:

Table 55. Use of in-field computers

for reports and communications

by sheriffs’ offices, by size 

of population served, 2000

Under 10,000 3 3 1 3 0

10,000-24,999 6 6 6 5 3

25,000-49,999 10 10 9 7 3

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

100,000-249,999 37 34 25 19 8

250,000-499,999 58 52 40 30 17

500,000-999,999 46 42 27 36 6

1,000,000 or more 44% 44% 34% 31% 6%

 All sizes 15% 14% 11% 9% 4%

Crime

analysis 

files (linked)

Criminal 

histories

Calls for

service

 

 Driving 

 records

Vehicle 

records

Population

served

Types of information accessible in the field:

Table 56. Computerized information accessible to in-field officers 

of sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

Figure 19

Linked files for crime analysis

Calls for service

Criminal history records

Driving records

Motor vehicle records

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

Percent of sheriffs' deputies employed by a department providing

Type of information

Percent of full-time officers

2000

1997

officers with in-field computer access to information, 1997 and 2000
In 2000, 80% 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 57). Other

methods included computers and data

devices (14%), as well as telephones

and wireless systems (6%).

From 1997 to 2000, use of paper reports

to transmit criminal incident reports

declined from 87% to 80%. During the

same period, use of computer and data

devices increased from 7% to 14%, and

use of telephone and wireless methods

remained at 6%. 

By jurisdiction size, the use of paper

reports declined in all population

categories (figure 20): 500,000 or

more residents, 89% to 79%; 100,000 

to 499,999, 85% to 73%; 25,000 to

99,999, 88% to 83%; under 25,000,

86% to 82%.

Special arrest policies 

Sheriffs’ offices often have special

policies to guide officers’ decisionmaking in specific situations, such as 

the handling of domestic assaults and

the enforcement of protection orders.

Eighty-nine percent of sheriffs’ offices,

employing 91% of all sworn personnel,

had a special policy regarding arrest for

domestic assault (table 58). Sixty-eight

percent of offices, employing 71% of

sworn personnel, had a mandatory

arrest policy for domestic assault.

Seventeen percent of offices, employing 17% of sworn personnel, had a

pro-arrest policy for domestic assault.

Eighty-four percent of sheriffs’ offices

had a special policy regarding arrest for

violations of protective orders. These

agencies employed 85% of all sworn

personnel. Sixty-two percent of offices,

employing 59% of all sworn personnel,

had a mandatory arrest policy and

18%, employing 22% of sworn personnel, had a pro-arrest policy.

 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000 27

Under 10,000 89 72 15 84 66 15

10,000-24,999 86 67 15 81 62 16

25,000-49,999 92 67 20 86 56 23

50,000-99,999 89 66 21 83 62 17

100,000-249,999 88 67 21 85 65 20

250,000-499,999 94 81 12 89 70 16

500,000-999,999 91 70 17 87 61 16

1,000,000 or more 62% 46% 13% 78% 60% 13%

 All sizes 89% 68% 17% 84% 62% 18%

 Pro-arrest

 Mandatory 

 arrest

 Any special

 Pro-arrest policy

 Mandatory 

 arrest

 Any special

 policy

Population

served

Domestic assault Violation of protection order

Percent of agencies with special policies regarding arrest for —

Table 58. Special policies regarding arrest for domestic assault and

protection orders in sheriffs’ offices, by size of population served, 2000

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

Under 10,000 100 82 10 8

10,000-24,999 100 87 9 5

25,000-49,999 100 77 20 3

50,000-99,999 100 72 23 6

100,000-249,999 100 75 15 11

250,000-499,999 100 78 15 7

500,000-999,999 100 81 9 10

1,000,000 or more 100% 73% 18% 9%

 All sizes 100% 80% 14% 6%

Telephone/

wireless

Computer/

data device

Paper 

Total report

Population

served

Primary transmission method

Table 57. Methods for transmitting criminal incident reports 

to the central information system in sheriffs’ offices, 

by size of population served, 2000

Figure 20

Under 25,000

25,000 - 99,999

100,000 - 499,999

500,000 or more

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

Percent of sheriffs' offices transmitting criminal incident reports

to their central information system primarily on paper, 1997 and 2000

Population served

Percent of agencies

2000

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

2000 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 2000 LEMAS survey questionnaire

was mailed to 3,132 State and local law

enforcement agencies. Sixty-seven

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.

The initial mailing of the questionnaire

was conducted in July 2000. 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, 881 law enforcement agencies in

the U.S. with 100 or more sworn

personnel as of June 30, 1996 were

included in the sample as selfrepresenting (SR) agencies. This

included 528 local police departments,

304 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 2,184 NSR

agencies selected included 1,491 local

police departments and 693 sheriffs’

offices.

A total of 2,985 agencies responded to

the LEMAS questionnaire for a

response rate of 97.4%. This included

866 SR agencies and 2,119 NSR

agencies. The final database includes

responses from 1,975 local police

departments, 961 sheriffs’ offices, and

the 49 primary State law enforcement

agencies. Among sheriffs’ offices, 961

of 997 surveys were returned for a

96.4% response rate.

The base weight for all SR agencies is

1. For NSR sheriffs’ offices, it is 4. For

NSR local police departments, the base

weights are determined by number of

sworn officers employed as reported in

the 1996 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, it is 9.65; for 14 to 23 officers,

it is 7.09; for 24 to 39 officers, it is 4.95;

for 40 to 62 officers, it is 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 1996, and a factor that adjusted

for any nonresponding agencies in

each cell. 

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. Statements

of comparison in this report reflect

observed differences between values

that are significant at 2 standard errors

(the 95-percent confidence level) or

higher. The survey data are also

subject to response and processing

errors.

28 Sheriffs’ Offices 2000