U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Statistical Brief

August 2020 NCJ 254826

YEARS OF STATISTICS

Local Police Departments: 

Policies and Procedures, 2016

FIGURE 1

Average number of training hours required of each new officer recruit in local police departments, by size of 

population served, 2016

Population served

Average number of training hours required per recruit

0 300 600 900 1,200 1,500 1,800

All officersa

All departments

2,499 or less

2,500-9,999

10,000-24,999

25,000-49,999

50,000-99,999

100,000-249,999

250,000-499,999

500,000-999,999

1,000,000 or more*

†

†

†

†

†

†

†

Note: Includes academy instruction and field (with a field training officer) training. See appendix table 1 for estimates and standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level. 

aReflects the average number of training hours required for all officers. This is calculated by multiplying the value for each department by its size. 

The size of the department is the sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the equivalent of 

0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department. 

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 2

TABLE 1

Percent of local police departments that maintained a written 

community-policing plan, by size of population served, 2016

Population served Maintained a plan

1,000,000 or more* 80.0%

500,000-999,999 72.4 ‡

250,000-499,999 78.0

100,000-249,999 61.7 †

50,000-99,999 62.3 †

25,000-49,999 56.6 †

10,000-24,999 51.1 †

2,500-9,999 37.9 †

2,499 or less 35.8 †

All departments 42.1

All officersa 65.8

Note: See appendix table 2 for standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aReflects the percentage of officers whose departments maintained a written community-policing 

plan. This is calculated by multiplying the result for each department by its size. The size of the 

department is the sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who 

are counted as the equivalent of 0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department. 

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics 

survey, 2016.

TABLE 2

Annual operating budget of local police departments, by size of population served, 2016

Population served Total budget Per department Per sworn officera Per employeeb Per resident

1,000,000 or more* $16,578,914,258 $977,064,539 $194,625 $142,617 $401

500,000-999,999 $8,324,639,686 $253,761,582 $166,693 † $130,540 † $363 †

250,000-499,999 $6,203,819,510 $109,685,085 $179,784 † $130,411 † $319 †

100,000-249,999 $8,999,928,508 $43,714,559 $187,869 $134,860 ‡ $287 †

50,000-99,999 $8,622,141,383 $20,112,984 $185,496 $132,000 $282 †

25,000-49,999 $8,042,735,816 $8,790,977 $152,762 † $116,431 † $258 †

10,000-24,999 $7,959,623,668 $4,185,582 $133,690 † $104,846 † $263 †

2,500-9,999 $5,148,012,181 $1,319,686 $98,794 † $81,009 † $255 †

2,499 or less $1,368,222,070 $300,802 $59,788 † $54,130 † $297 †

All departments $71,248,037,080 $5,933,887 $98,982 $80,500 $275

Note: Data are for the fiscal year that included June 30, 2016. Data exclude capital expenditures, such as equipment purchases and construction costs. See 

appendix table 3 for standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aIncludes full-time sworn officers plus half the number of part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the equivalent of 0.5 full-time sworn officers). 

Calculated by dividing total budget by the number of full-time-equivalent sworn officers.

bIncludes full-time employees plus half the number of part-time employees (who are counted as the equivalent of 0.5 full-time employees). Calculated by 

dividing total budget by the number of full-time-equivalent employees.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 3

TABLE 3

Percent of local police departments that required annual in-service training of 

patrol and field officers, by size of population served, 2016

Population served Percent of departments

Among departments requiring 

training, average annual hours of in-service training per officera

1,000,000 or more* 100% 32 hrs.

500,000-999,999 100 31

250,000-499,999 100 33

100,000-249,999 98.4 † 37 †

50,000-99,999 99.5 † 38 †

25,000-49,999 95.2 † 42 †

10,000-24,999 97.5 † 36

2,500-9,999 96.7 † 37

2,499 or less 89.4 † 43 ‡

All departments 94.0 39

Percent of officers required to 

take annual in-service training

All officersb 98.2% 35 hrs.

Note: In-service training refers to that provided to non-probationary officers. See appendix table 4 for 

standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aExcludes 591 departments (4.8%) that reported zero annual hours of in-service training.

bReflects the percentage of officers who are required to take annual in-service training and, among 

those required to take such training, the average number of hours of that training. This is calculated 

by multiplying the values for each department by its size. The size of the department is the sum of the 

number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the equivalent of 

0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department. 

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics 

survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 4

TABLE 4

Percent of local police departments with written policies or procedural directives, by selected topic and size of 

population served, 2016

Population served

All 

departments All officersa Selected topic

1,000,000 

or more*

500,000-

999,999

250,000-

499,999

100,000-

249,999

50,000-

99,999

25,000-

49,999

10,000-

24,999

2,500-

9,999

2,499 or 

less

Active shooter 93.3% 93.1% 90.0% 93.4% 92.3% 91.1% 86.0% † 75.9% † 59.4% † 73.2% 89.8%

Acts of terrorism 93.3 86.2 † 80.0 † 76.5 † 70.5 † 62.9 † 53.9 † 36.2 † 29.8 † 40.8 72.3

Body-worn cameras 86.7 75.9 † 64.0 † 57.4 † 57.2 † 51.5 † 40.5 † 48.5 † 47.3 † 47.7 65.6

Civilian complaints 100 100 100 100 99.7 † 98.3 ‡ 95.9 † 93.4 † 76.3 † 87.9 98.0

Code of conduct/

appearance 100 100 100 100 99.7 † 99.2 100 99.6 ‡ 91.8 † 96.6 99.7

Cultural-awareness training 80.0 82.8 84.0 75.4 75.9 68.0 † 59.1 † 46.0 † 36.1 † 47.7 70.7

Foot pursuitsb 60.0 62.1 66.0 67.2 72.7 † 66.1 60.9 61.5 50.1 † 57.9 57.3

In-custody deaths 100 93.1 † 96.0 † 93.4 † 90.7 † 88.4 † 81.6 † 73.0 † 50.2 † 67.8 89.4

Investigation of employee 

misconduct 100 100 100 99.5 † 98.9 † 98.3 ‡ 97.0 † 93.0 † 77.5 † 88.4 98.1

Mass demonstrations 93.3 96.6 94.0 87.4 † 82.9 † 76.1 † 56.4 † 40.6 † 23.4 † 41.8 78.4

Maximum work hours 

allowed 73.3 79.3 66.0 82.0 † 79.5 81.0 72.2 59.6 † 52.6 † 61.6 75.0

Motor-vehicle stops 93.3 100 † 98.0 † 94.5 97.4 ‡ 97.7 ‡ 94.0 87.6 † 74.5 † 84.8 95.6

Off-duty conduct 100 100 98.0 † 98.9 † 98.2 † 99.2 98.5 † 95.0 † 81.9 † 91.0 98.2

Prisoner transport 100 100 100 98.9 † 98.9 † 99.0 93.0 † 87.1 † 66.3 † 81.6 96.3

Racial profiling/

unbiased policing 100 100 98.0 † 96.7 † 96.3 † 98.9 88.2 † 83.4 † 71.6 † 81.5 95.1

Reporting use of force 100 100 100 99.5 † 100.0 100.0 98.4 † 98.4 † 86.5 † 94.0 99.4

Social media 93.3 86.2 † 90.0 90.2 86.0 † 88.1 82.2 † 71.8 † 46.8 † 65.9 87.3

Stop and frisk 93.3 89.7 90.0 81.4 † 79.9 † 87.1 ‡ 77.6 † 75.0 † 61.0 † 71.3 85.7

Strip searches 93.3 100 † 96.0 93.4 95.4 94.1 87.8 ‡ 76.3 † 50.3 † 70.5 91.3

Use of deadly force/ 

firearm discharge 100 100 100 100 100 100 99.5 100 93.0 † 97.2 99.8

Use of less-lethal force 100 100 100 100 99.5 † 100 98.8 ‡ 98.7 † 90.9 † 95.9 99.4

Note: See appendix table 5 for standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aReflects the percentage of officers whose departments were operating under such policies. This is calculated by multiplying the result for each 

department by its size. The size of the department is the sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the 

equivalent of 0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department.

bWhile 60% of departments serving one million or more residents had a written policy on foot pursuits, those departments employed 37% of officers 

employed in departments serving one million or more residents.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 5

TABLE 5

Percent of local police departments that required written documentation 

when officers displayed or discharged firearms, by size of population 

served, 2016

Population served Firearm displayed Firearm discharged

1,000,000 or more* 40.0% 86.7%

500,000-999,999 44.8 93.1 ‡

250,000-499,999 34.0 98.0 †

100,000-249,999 44.3 94.5 †

50,000-99,999 54.5 † 95.2 †

25,000-49,999 57.2 † 91.0

10,000-24,999 56.1 † 87.2

2,500-9,999 55.7 † 83.3

2,499 or less 52.1 † 77.4 †

All departments 54.1 82.9

All officersa 43.6 92.1

Note: See appendix table 6 for standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aReflects the percentage of officers whose departments were operating under such policies. 

Calculated by multiplying the result for each department by its size. The size of the department is the 

sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the 

equivalent of 0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department. 

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics 

survey, 2016.

TABLE 6

Percent of local police departments that authorized less-lethal techniques or restraints, by size of population 

served, 2016

Population served Open-hand techniques Closed-hand techniques Takedown techniques Leg hobble/other restraintsa Neck restraint/hold

1,000,000 or more* 100% 100% 100% 86.7% 53.3%

500,000-999,999 100 96.6 † 100 75.9 † 27.6 †

250,000-499,999 100 98.0 † 100 84.0 44.0 ‡

100,000-249,999 99.5 † 94.5 † 98.4 † 86.3 48.1

50,000-99,999 97.8 94.3 † 98.1 83.9 49.6

25,000-49,999 100 96.5 † 100 85.6 26.9 †

10,000-24,999 97.4 † 90.5 † 95.6 † 76.4 † 28.6 †

2,500-9,999 96.2 † 87.2 † 96.2 † 73.8 † 30.0 †

2,499 or less 88.9 † 81.1 † 88.6 † 66.5 † 39.6 †

All departments 94.0 86.5 93.6 72.9 34.3

All officersb 98.7 95.0 98.3 82.0 32.1

Note: See appendix table 7 for standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aExcludes handcuffs.

bReflects the percentage of officers whose departments authorized less-lethal techniques or restraints. This is calculated by multiplying the result for each 

department by its size. The size of the department is the sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who are counted as 

the equivalent of 0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department. 

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 6

TABLE 7

Percent of local police departments that authorized less-lethal weapons, by size of population served, 2016

Population served Batons

Blunt-force 

projectilesa Chemical-agent projectilesb Conducted-energy weaponsc Explosives Pepper sprayd

1,000,000 or more* 100% 86.7% 100% 100% 73.3% 100%

500,000-999,999 100 96.6 † 96.6 † 89.7 † 79.3 100

250,000-499,999 100 96.0 † 100 98.0 † 74.0 98.0 †

100,000-249,999 98.4 † 96.2 † 96.2 † 96.2 † 65.6 ‡ 98.4 †

50,000-99,999 98.9 † 92.1 84.8 † 92.9 † 51.6 † 97.3 ‡

25,000-49,999 96.7 † 78.2 ‡ 74.9 † 89.0 † 20.7 † 99.9 †

10,000-24,999 92.0 † 56.3 † 52.3 † 91.6 † 9.9 † 94.5 †

2,500-9,999 90.5 † 36.0 † 34.4 † 90.3 † 6.3 † 92.0 †

2,499 or less 82.3 † 25.1 † 31.7 † 82.8 † 3.2 † 85.4 †

All departments 88.5 41.6 42.5 87.7 9.9 90.8

All officerse 96.9 71.0 80.0 92.4 42.4 97.3

Note: See appendix table 8 for standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aFor example, bean bags or rubber bullets.

bFor example, CS (tear) gas or oleoresin capsicum (OC) pellets. cFor example, Tasers or stun guns.

dOC spray or foam.

eReflects the percentage of officers whose departments authorized less-lethal weapons. This is calculated by multiplying the result for each department by 

its size. The size of the department is the sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the equivalent of 

0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.

TABLE 8

Percent of local police departments requiring external investigation of deaths or uses of force, by size of population 

served, 2016

Population served Discharge of firearm at or in direction of a person In-custody death notdue to use of forcea Use of force resultingin serious bodily injury Use of force resultingin subject’s death

250,000 or more* 20.2% 34.0% 21.3% 50.0%

50,000-249,999 37.3 † 57.5 † 34.3 † 74.4 †

10,000-49,999 47.5 † 70.2 † 46.7 † 82.1 †

9,999 or less 65.3 † 77.1 † 65.9 † 83.7 †

All departments 59.4 74.1 59.5 82.6

All officersb 32.8 48.4 32.5 60.6

Note: Agencies were only asked about external investigations conducted by another law enforcement or criminal investigative body, which exclude civilian 

reviews. Departments may also conduct internal investigations in these situations. See appendix table 9 for standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

aIncludes deaths due to, among other things, suicide, intoxication, or accident.

bReflects the percentage of officers whose departments required such investigations. This is calculated by multiplying the result for each department by 

its size. The size of the department is the sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the equivalent of 

0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 7

TABLE 9

Percent of local police departments with a civilian-complaint review board by size of population served 2016 , ,

Board has independent investigative authority with subpoena power for—

Population served Total All complaints Certain complaints No complaints

250,000 or more* 51.1% 14.9% 3.2% 31.9%

50,000-249,999 15.0 † 1.2 0.9 12.8 †

10,000-49,999 8.2 † 1.3 2.5 4.1 †

9,999 or less 11.5 † 3.0 † 1.8 ‡ 6.9 †

All departments 11.3 2.6 1.9 6.8

All officersa 35.4 16.6 4.0 14.1

Note: See appendix table 10 for standard errors.

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aReflects the percentage of officers whose departments had such boards. This is calculated by multiplying the result for each department by its size. 

The size of the department is the sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the equivalent of 

0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 8

APPENDIX TABLE 1

Estimates and standard errors for figure 1: Average number of training hours required of each new officer recruit in 

local police departments, by size of population served, 2016

Estimate Standard error

Population served Totala Academy Field Total Academy Field

1,000,000 or moreb* 1,810 hrs. 981 hrs. 829 hrs. 58.5 hrs. 23.8 hrs. 52.9 hrs.

500,000-999,999 1,715 992 722 ‡ 34.7 14.4 33.2

250,000-499,999 1,688 † 972 716 † 18.4 9.7 17.1

100,000-249,999 1,446 † 805 † 640 † 7.6 5.4 5.9

50,000-99,999 1,347 † 745 † 602 † 31.2 18.2 16.2

25,000-49,999 1,327 † 773 † 554 † 60.5 56.5 18.7

10,000-24,999 1,183 † 697 † 486 † 22.6 19.0 12.7

2,500-9,999 1,000 † 663 † 337 † 15.5 9.8 9.6

2,499 or less 719 † 557 † 168 † 22.0 18.9 10.8

All departments 975 645 331 11.4 9.4 5.8

All officersc 1,445 816 628 19.1 8.1 16.9

*Comparison group.

†Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level.

‡Difference with comparison group is significant at the 90% confidence level.

aTotal training hours may not reflect the sum of academy-training and field-training hours because some departments did not report data on one type of 

training and therefore were not included in the total but were included for one type of training.

bOne of the 15 departments serving one million or more residents was excluded entirely from the calculations due to incomplete data.

cCalculated by multiplying the values for each department by its size. The size of the department is the sum of the number of full-time sworn officers and 

part-time sworn officers (who are counted as the equivalent of 0.5 full-time sworn officers) employed by that department.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.

APPENDIX TABLE 2

Standard errors for table 1: Percent of local police departments that 

maintained a written community-policing plan, by size of population 

served, 2016

Population served Maintained a plan

1,000,000 or more 3.52%

500,000-999,999 2.83

250,000-499,999 2.00

100,000-249,999 1.22

50,000-99,999 3.75

25,000-49,999 3.91

10,000-24,999 2.80

2,500-9,999 1.91

2,499 or less 1.82

All departments 1.08

All officers 1.39

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics 

survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 9

APPENDIX TABLE 3

Standard errors for table 2: Annual operating budget of local police departments, by size of population served, 2016

Population served Total budget Per department Per sworn officer Per employee Per resident

1,000,000 or more $2,413,600,237 $113,318,308 $6,667 $4,230 $13

500,000-999,999 $589,181,725 $8,441,320 $2,941 $2,342 $11

250,000-499,999 $316,531,291 $2,271,546 $3,419 $1,802 $6

100,000-249,999 $214,507,123 $488,214 $1,949 $1,191 $2

50,000-99,999 $582,753,266 $630,515 $8,213 $5,387 $8

25,000-49,999 $480,498,132 $248,576 $4,196 $2,863 $7

10,000-24,999 $374,421,898 $116,373 $2,522 $2,040 $7

2,500-9,999 $217,929,951 $45,114 $1,632 $1,298 $10

2,499 or less $71,968,320 $13,173 $1,239 $1,119 $30

All departments $2,491,732,347 $207,524 $960 $757 $12

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.

APPENDIX TABLE 4

Standard errors for table 3: Percent of local police departments that required 

annual in-service training of patrol and field officers, by size of population 

served, 2016

Population served Percent of departments

Among departments requiring 

training, average annual hours of in-service training per officer

1,000,000 or more 0.00% 1.9 hrs.

500,000-999,999 0.00 0.9

250,000-499,999 0.00 0.7

100,000-249,999 0.32 0.6

50,000-99,999 0.13 2.1

25,000-49,999 1.72 2.0

10,000-24,999 0.88 1.3

2,500-9,999 0.71 3.6

2,499 or less 1.19 5.8

All departments 0.55 2.4

Percent of officers required to 

take annual in-service training

All officers 0.25% 0.8 hrs.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics 

survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 10

APPENDIX TABLE 5

Standard errors for table 4: Percent of local police departments with written policies or procedural directives, by 

selected topic and size of population served, 2016

Population served

All 

Selected topic departments All officers

1,000,000 

or more*

500,000-

999,999

250,000-

499,999

100,000-

249,999

50,000-

99,999

25,000-

49,999

10,000-

24,999

2,500-

9,999

2,499 or 

less

Active shooter 2.20% 1.60% 1.45% 0.62% 0.70% 2.19% 1.95% 1.69% 1.87% 0.97% 0.60%

Acts of terrorism 2.20 2.18 1.93 1.07 3.23 3.84 2.79 1.88 1.76 1.06 1.17

Body-worn cameras 2.99 2.71 2.31 1.25 3.65 3.95 2.75 1.97 1.90 1.11 1.37

Civilian complaints 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 1.01 1.14 0.99 1.61 0.72 0.21

Code of conduct/ 

appearance 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.70 0.00 0.23 1.07 0.42 0.06

Cultural-awareness training 3.52 2.39 1.77 1.09 2.96 3.69 2.75 1.96 1.83 1.08 1.39

Foot pursuits 4.31 3.07 2.28 1.18 3.02 3.72 2.73 1.92 1.91 1.10 1.98

In-custody deaths 0.00 1.60 0.94 0.62 1.63 2.53 2.17 1.75 1.90 1.01 0.61

Investigation of employee 

misconduct 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.19 0.19 1.01 0.99 1.01 1.60 0.72 0.18

Mass demonstrations 2.20 1.15 1.14 0.84 2.27 3.41 2.78 1.91 1.62 1.02 0.97

Maximum work hours 

allowed 3.89 2.56 2.28 0.97 3.15 3.08 2.51 1.94 1.91 1.07 1.31

Motor-vehicle stops 2.20 0.00 0.67 0.57 0.33 1.23 1.35 1.31 1.67 0.80 0.36

Off-duty conduct 0.00 0.00 0.67 0.26 0.27 0.70 0.68 0.86 1.48 0.64 0.19

Prisoner transport 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.26 0.19 0.73 1.45 1.32 1.80 0.84 0.31

Racial profiling/

unbiased policing 0.00 0.00 0.67 0.45 0.41 0.70 1.82 1.47 1.73 0.86 0.35

Reporting use of force 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.19 0.00 0.00 0.73 0.50 1.31 0.53 0.08

Social media 2.20 2.18 1.45 0.75 2.58 2.60 2.14 1.77 1.88 1.00 0.70

Stop and frisk 2.20 1.93 1.45 0.98 3.36 2.60 2.34 1.71 1.86 1.00 0.80

Strip searches 2.20 0.00 0.94 0.62 1.56 1.86 1.84 1.68 1.88 0.96 0.58

Use of deadly force/

firearm discharge 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45 0.00 0.99 0.39 0.04

Use of less-lethal force 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.65 0.44 1.12 0.46 0.09

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.

APPENDIX TABLE 6

Standard errors for table 5: Percent of local police departments that required 

written documentation when officers displayed or discharged firearms, by 

size of population served, 2016

Population served Firearm displayed Firearm discharged

1,000,000 or more 4.31% 2.99%

500,000-999,999 3.15 1.60

250,000-499,999 2.28 0.67

100,000-249,999 1.25 0.57

50,000-99,999 3.85 1.49

25,000-49,999 3.91 2.26

10,000-24,999 2.78 1.87

2,500-9,999 1.96 1.47

2,499 or less 1.92 1.61

All departments 1.11 0.85

All officers 1.65 0.56

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics 

survey, 2016.

,
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 11

APPENDIX TABLE 7

Standard errors for table 6: Percent of local police departments that authorized less-lethal techniques or restraints, by 

size of population served 2016 ,

Population served Open-hand techniques Closed-hand techniques Takedown techniques Leg hobble/other restraints Neck restraint/hold

1,000,000 or more 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 2.99% 4.39%

500,000-999,999 0.00 1.15 0.00 2.71 2.83

250,000-499,999 0.00 0.67 0.00 1.77 2.39

100,000-249,999 0.19 0.57 0.32 0.87 1.26

50,000-99,999 1.54 2.14 1.54 2.60 3.69

25,000-49,999 0.00 1.42 0.00 2.67 3.49

10,000-24,999 0.89 1.64 1.15 2.37 2.53

2,500-9,999 0.75 1.32 0.76 1.73 1.81

2,499 or less 1.21 1.51 1.23 1.81 1.87

All departments 0.55 0.78 0.57 1.00 1.06

All officers 0.19 0.41 0.22 0.92 1.41

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.

APPENDIX TABLE 8

Standard errors for table 7: Percent of local police departments that authorized less-lethal weapons, by size of 

population served, 2016

Population served Batons

Blunt-force 

projectiles Chemical-agent projectiles Conducted-energy weapons Explosives Pepper spray

1,000,000 or more 0.00% 2.99% 0.00% 0.00% 3.89% 0.00%

500,000-999,999 0.00 1.15 1.15 1.93 2.56 0.00

250,000-499,999 0.00 0.94 0.00 0.67 2.11 0.67

100,000-249,999 0.32 0.48 0.48 0.48 1.20 0.32

50,000-99,999 0.19 1.53 3.14 0.66 3.85 1.54

25,000-49,999 1.41 3.21 3.43 2.46 3.06 0.04

10,000-24,999 1.52 2.77 2.78 1.55 1.67 1.28

2,500-9,999 1.16 1.89 1.87 1.16 0.94 1.07

2,499 or less 1.47 1.67 1.79 1.45 0.68 1.36

All departments 0.73 1.02 1.05 0.74 0.55 0.66

All officers 0.31 2.20 0.91 0.60 1.66 0.28

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.

APPENDIX TABLE 9

Standard errors for table 8: Percent of local police departments requiring external investigation of deaths or uses of 

force, by size of population served, 2016

Population served Discharge of firearm at orin direction of a person In-custody death notdue to use of force Use of force resultingin serious bodily injury Use of force resultingin subject’s death

250,000 or more 1.41% 1.67% 1.44% 1.76%

50,000-249,999 2.74 2.41 2.62 1.90

10,000-49,999 2.28 2.08 2.28 1.74

9,999 or less 1.31 1.15 1.30 1.02

All departments 1.07 0.96 1.07 0.83

All officers 1.34 1.75 1.33 2.07

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 | August 2020 12

APPENDIX TABLE 10

Standard errors for table 9: Percent of local police departments with a civilian-complaint review board, by size of 

population served, 2016

Board has independent investigative authority with subpoena power for—

Population served Total All complaints Certain complaints No complaints

250,000 or more 1.76% 1.25% 0.62% 1.64%

50,000-249,999 1.77 0.17 0.14 1.76

10,000-49,999 1.25 0.51 0.72 0.90

9,999 or less 0.88 0.47 0.37 0.71

All departments 0.70 0.36 0.31 0.55

All officers 2.15 2.58 0.63 0.83

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, 2016.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics of the U.S. Department of Justice is the 

principal federal agency responsible for measuring crime, criminal 

victimization, criminal offenders, victims of crime, correlates of crime, 

and the operation of criminal and civil justice systems at the federal, state, 

tribal, and local levels. BJS collects, analyzes, and disseminates reliable 

statistics on crime and justice systems in the United States, supports 

improvements to state and local criminal justice information systems, and 

participates with national and international organizations to develop and 

recommend national standards for justice statistics. Jeffrey H. Anderson is 

the director.

This report was prepared by Connor Brooks. Elizabeth Davis, Shelley 

Hyland, and Kevin Scott verified the report.

Edrienne Su edited the report. Carrie Epps-Carey produced the report.

August 2020, NCJ 254826

Office of Justice Programs

Building Solutions • Supporting Communities • Advancing Justice

www.ojp.gov