By Brian A. Reaves, Ph.D.

BJS Statistician

 As of June 30, 1993, local police 

departments in the United States had

an estimated 474,072 full-time employees, 3% more than in 1990. Among

this total were 373,554 sworn personnel, including approximately 230,000

uniformed officers whose regularly 

assigned duties included responding 

to calls for service.

 About 80% of U.S. residents were

served by a local police department 

at either the municipal or county level,

and there were approximately 21 fulltime local police officers employed 

for every 10,000 residents served.

 Women comprised 8.8% of all fulltime local police officers in 1993, compared to 8.1% in 1990 and 7.6% in

1987. Black officers accounted for

11.3% of the total in 1993, compared

to 10.5% in 1990 and 9.3% in 1987.

The percentage of Hispanic officers

was 6.2% in 1993, up from 5.2% in

1990 and 4.5% in 1987.

 Twelve percent of local police departments required new officer recruits to

have at least some college education

in 1993, compared to about 6% in

1990. Eight percent of departments

had some type of degree requirement,

with 1% requiring a 4-year degree.

 The average number of training

hours required of new local police 

officer recruits in 1993 ranged from

over 1,100 hours in departments serving a population of 100,000 or more, 

to under 500 in those serving fewer

than 2,500 residents. 

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Executive Summary

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

A LEMAS report

Local Police

Departments, 1993

March 29,

199612:05 pm

April 1996, NCJ-160802

Female All minorities* Black Hispanic

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Percent of full-time sworn personnel

Women and minority local police officers, 1987, 1990, and 1993

1987 1990 1993

*Includes blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaska Natives.
 For fiscal year 1993, local police 

departments had total operating 

expenditures of $24.3 billion, compared to $20.6 billion in 1990, a 6% 

increase after controlling for inflation.

Operating expenditures averaged

$62,600 per sworn officer, $48,200 

per employee, and $131 per resident

for 1993.

 Eighty-four percent of local police departments authorized their regular field

officers to use semiautomatic sidearms

in 1993, up from 73% in 1990. Departments authorizing semiautomatic sidearms employed 96% of all local police

officers in 1993, compared to 91% in

1990.

 In 1993, a third of all local police departments, including half of those serving a population of 1 million or more,

required all regular field officers to

wear protective body armor while on

duty. Departments with such a requirement employed 41% of all local

police officers in 1993, compared to

32% in 1990.

 Nearly all local police departments

authorized the use of one or more

types of impact devices as a nonlethal

weapon, most commonly in the form 

of a PR-24 baton (59%) or traditional

baton (58%). Three-fourths of departments authorized the use of chemical

agents, with pepper spray (59%) the

type most commonly authorized.

 Sixty-eight percent of local police departments participated in a 911 emergency telephone system during 1993,

and 41% had an enhanced 911 system. Departments with a 911 system

employed 89% of all local police officers in 1993, compared to 65% in

1990. 

 A majority of local police departments serving a population of 10,000

or more had primary responsibility for 

processing fingerprints. Three-fourths

of the departments serving a population of 1 milllion or more were also responsible for performing ballistics tests

and laboratory tests of substances. 

 In addition to traditional law enforcement duties, some local police departments were responsible for courtrelated functions such as providing

court security (19%) or serving civil

process (11%), and 5% operated a jail.

Among the numerous other special

functions performed by local police departments were animal control (49%),

and emergency medical services

(20%). 

 Two-thirds of local police departments were using computers in 1993,

compared to half in 1990. Departments using computers employed 95%

of all local police officers in 1993. Departments that used laptop computers

or mobile terminals employed twice as

many officers in 1993 (60%) as in 1990

(30%). 

2 Local Police Departments, 1993  Executive Summary

250,000 or more

50,000-249,999

10,000-49,999

Under 10,000

$0 $20 $40 $60 $80

Population served

1993

1990

Annual per officer operating costs of local police departments, 1990 and 1993

Annual operating cost per officer in 1993 dollars ($1,000's)

250,000 or more

50,000 - 249,999

10,000 - 49,999

Under 10,000

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Population served

1993

1990

Percent of agencies

Local police departments requiring all regular field officers to wear protective

armor, 1990 and 1993