As of June 1997, there were more than 700 general

purpose State and local law enforcement agencies

with 100 or more full-time sworn personnel that

included 50 or more uniformed officers responding

to calls for service. These larger agencies collectively employed about 381,000 full-time sworn personnel, including about 226,000 officers assigned 

to respond to calls for service.

Nearly all of these agencies provided data in

response to the 1997 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey

sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. 

Included among these respondents were 454 municipal police departments, 167 county sheriffs’

departments, 30 county police departments, and 

the 49 primary State law enforcement agencies

operating in each State except Hawaii. 

Personnel

In 1997, the Nation’s larger municipal police departments employed an average of 23 full-time officers

per 10,000 city residents. Larger county police and

sheriffs’ departments employed 13 and 12 officers

per 10,000 county residents, respectively. The 49

 Civilian employees 10 8 8 13 6

 Sworn officers 9 9 9 13 4

 Total employees 10% 9% 9% 15% 7%

Median percent change in number 

of full-time employees 1993-97

 Full-time sworn officers per 10,000 residents 19 13 23 12 2

 Full-time employees per 10,000 residents 25 17 29 17 4

Average number of &

 Full-time sworn officers 326,968 22,479 225,820 78,669 54,206

 Full-time employees 436,857 29,361 289,278 118,218 82,261

Total number of &

 100-249 395 8 307 80 6

 250-499 133 11 74 48 11

 500-999 68 4 39 25 17

 1,000 or more 55 7 34 14 15

Number of agencies by number 

of full-time sworn personnel

 Sheriff

 Municipal

 police 

County

Item description Total police

Primary State 

law enforcement 

agencies

 Local law enforcement agencies

Personnel in State and local law enforcement agencies with 100 or more officers

U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs

You can use a frame like this one to span a headline over multiple columns

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Executive Summary

Law Enforcement Management

and Administrative Statistics, 1997

April 1999, NCJ 175712

Data for Individual State and Local Agencies with 100 or More Officers
primary State police agencies employed an

average of about 2 officers per 10,000 State

residents. 

From 1993 to 1997 the median agency

increase in number of full-time sworn personnel was 13% among sheriffs' departments, 9% among county and municipal

police departments, and 4% among State

police agencies. 

Among county and municipal police departments, an average of 90% of the sworn

personnel worked in field operations, and an

average of 63% were uniformed officers with regular

duties that included responding to calls for service. 

In sheriffs’ departments a smaller average percentage of officers worked in field operations (57%) and

responded to calls for service (42%) because more

officers were assigned to jail-related (27%) and

court-related (8%) duties. Across all types of

agencies, an average of 5% of sworn personnel

worked in administration, and 3% in technical

support.

 

Sheriffs’ departments (15%) employed a higher

average percentage of female officers than county

(11%), municipal (9%), or State (5%) police

agencies. The average percentage of sworn

personnel who were members of a racial or ethnic

minority was 23% for county police departments,

19% for municipal police departments, 17% for

sheriffs’ departments, and 12% for State police

agencies. 

Nearly all law enforcement agencies with 100 or

more officers screened applicants for sworn

positions by means of a personal interview,

background investigation, criminal record check,

driving record check, and a medical exam. About 9

in 10 required psychological testing and a written

aptitude exam. More than 4 in 5 required applicants

to take a drug test, and nearly two-thirds administered a polygraph exam to applicants.

Nearly all of the 49 primary State police agencies

(92%) had some type of residency requirement for

new officers. About three-fifths of local law enforcement agencies with 100 or more officers had a

residency requirement. 

In 1997, 16% of State police agencies required a

2-year college degree, and 4% required a 4-year

degree. County police were the next most likely 

to require either a 2-year (13%) or 4-year (3%)

degree. Among large municipal police agencies, 9%

had a degree requirement, with 2% requiring a

4-year degree. Among sheriffs’ departments, 6%

required a degree, including 1% with a 4-year

degree requirement.

The median number of hours of classroom training

required of new officers was highest in State police

agencies (823), and lowest in sheriffs’ departments

(448). The requirements for county and municipal

police were 760 and 640 hours, respectively. The

median field training hours required was 480 hours

for county and municipal police, 436 for sheriffs’

departments, and 360 for State police.

Community policing

Thanks to the support of the Department of Justice’s

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the

1997 LEMAS survey was the first in the series to

collect data on agency policies and practices as they

relate to community policing. A majority of the

Nation’s larger county (63%) and municipal (61%)

police agencies reported they had a formally written

community policing plan, compared to fewer than

half of sheriffs’ departments (38%) and State police

agencies (33%).

About four-fifths of larger county (80%) and municipal (79%) police departments had full-time community policing officers, with an average of 20 such

officers each. Among larger sheriffs’ departments,

two-thirds had full-time community policing officers,

with an average of 11 each.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Percent of agencies requiring college degree

Local

State 1997

Law enforcement agencies with 100

or more full-time sworn personnel

1993

Percent of law enforcement agencies that required new officers

to have a 2-year or 4-year college degree, 1993 and 1997

2 Executive Summary: Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997
About three-fourths of larger county (77%) and

municipal (74%) police agencies operated one or

more community substations during 1997, as did

about two-thirds of sheriffs’ departments (66%),

and two-fifths of State police agencies (39%). 

In a large majority of municipal (80%) and county

(73%) police departments with 100 or more 

officers, all new officer recruits received community policing training. This was true in less 

than half of larger sheriffs’ departments (49%) 

and State police agencies (41%). In the majority 

of these latter two types of agencies, however, 

at least some recruits received such training. 

A large percentage of the municipal police (91%),

county police (83%), and sheriffs’ (79%) departments with 100 or more officers trained at least

some of their in-service officers in community policing. Most State police agencies (57%) did so 

as well.

Two-thirds of larger local law enforcement agencies

offered community policing training to citizens,

compared to about a fourth of State agencies. 

During the 12-month period ending June 30, 1997,

nearly two-thirds of larger local law enforcement

agencies (65%) formed problem-solving partnerships with community groups, local agencies, or

others through written agreements. A majority

(55%) also actively encouraged patrol officers to

engage in problem-solving projects that utilized

community policing concepts.

Nearly all larger local law enforcement agencies met

with community groups during the 12-month period

ending June 30, 1997. The largest percentages met

with neighborhood associations (96%), school

groups (88%), and business groups (82%). Many

also met with tenants’ associations (70%), youth

service organizations (67%), advocacy groups

(61%), and religious groups (61%). Nearly half

surveyed citizens regarding their satisfaction with

police services (49%) and their perceptions of crime

problems (44%).

Operations

All State and local law enforcement agencies with

100 or more officers used automobiles for routine

patrol during 1997. A majority of municipal police

departments also used bicycle (76%), motorcycle

(68%), and foot (55%) patrol routinely. A majority 

of county police departments used motorcycle (63%)

and bicycle (57%) patrol. 

The average percentage of all patrol units that were

deployed in automobiles ranged from 97% in State

police agencies to 84% for municipal police. 

Municipal police departments used the most motorcycle (5%), bicycle (5%) and foot (4%) patrol units.

The use of foot and bike units was greater in 1997

than in 1993 for municipal police, county police, and

sheriffs’ departments.

More than three-fourths of the Nation’s larger

municipal police (85%), county police (80%), and

sheriffs’ (75%) departments participated in an

enhanced (or expanded) 9-1-1 system in 1997.

From 1993 to 1997, the overall percentage of larger

local law enforcement agencies with enhanced 9-1-1

increased from 77% to 83%. 

In addition to responding to citizen calls for service,

all but a few of the municipal, county, and State

police agencies with 100 or more officers also

handled the enforcement of traffic laws and the

investigation of traffic accidents. Most sheriffs’

departments enforced traffic laws (88%) and investigated accidents (75%) as well. 

 Executive Summary: Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997 3

Average percent of patrol units that were

on foot or bicycles, 1993 and 1997

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10%

Percent of patrol units that were on foot or bicycles

1997

1993

Municipal

police

Sheriff

County

police

Law enforcement agencies with 100

or more full-time sworn personnel
About 9 in 10 large local law enforcement agencies

and 3 in 4 State agencies performed Special

Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) operations. A majority of sheriffs’ departments had responsibility for

search and rescue (75%) and underwater recovery

(62%), and about half handled bomb disposal (49%).

Most county police agencies handled bomb disposal

(60%) and search and rescue (53%) and nearly 

half were responsible for underwater recovery

(43%). Nearly half of State police agencies

performed search and rescue (47%) and bomb

disposal (45%) functions. 

A large percentage of county (93%) and municipal

(82%) police agencies with 100 or more officers

operated a full-time drug enforcement unit. About

two-thirds of sheriffs’ departments (69%) and State

police agencies (65%) operated such a unit.

 

About three-fourths of county police (77%), municipal police (76%), and sheriffs’ (75%) departments

participated in a multi-agency drug enforcement task

force during 1997, as did about half of the State

police agencies. More than 90% of the agencies of

each type had receipts from a drug asset forfeiture

program during fiscal 1997. 

Nearly all sheriffs’ departments with 100 or more

officers performed court-related functions such as

executing arrest warrants (98%), providing court 

security (93%) and serving civil process (93%). 

Nearly all municipal police (93%) and county

police (87%) also executed arrest warrants.

About 5 in 6 sheriffs’ departments with 100 or more

officers operated at least 1 jail facility during 1997,

as did about 1 in 4 municipal police departments.

Just 1 county police agency and no State police

agencies operated a jail. 

A majority of larger county police (80%), municipal police (72%), and sheriffs’ (56%) departments

operated at least one temporary holding (lockup)

facility separate from a jail. Eighteen percent of

State police agencies operated a lockup facility. 

Expenditures and pay

During fiscal 1997, the median total operating

expenditure per employee in law enforcement

agencies with 100 or more officers was $56,800 

for State police, $55,500 for county police, $54,000

for municipal police, and $49,200 for sheriffs’ departments. When only sworn personnel are included,

the medians were $82,600 for State police, $77,500

for sheriffs’ departments, $73,500 for county police,

and $70,700 for municipal police. 

The mean starting salary for entry-level officers was

highest in municipal police agencies ($29,859),

followed by county police ($27,901), State police

($26,877), and sheriffs’ departments ($25,994).

Officer salaries increased by an average of about

10% after 1 year of experience.

A majority of large municipal police (72%) and

sheriffs’ (62%) departments authorized educational

incentive pay for officers, compared to 40% of

county police and 20% of State police. County

police were the most likely to authorize shift differential pay (63%), merit pay (60%), and hazardous duty

pay (47%).

Equipment

State police agencies operated an average of 102

cars per 100 officers. Among local agencies, county

police operated an average of 81 cars per 100

officers, compared to 60 per 100 for sheriffs’ departments and 57 per 100 for municipal police. 

Eighty-six percent of State law enforcement agencies operated at least one airplane. This was a

much higher percentage than for sheriffs’ (27%),

county police (20%) or municipal police (6%) departments. 

About two-thirds of State law enforcement agencies

(69%) operated at least one helicopter. This was

also a higher percentage than for county police

(47%), sheriffs’ (39%), or municipal police (14%)

departments. 

4 Executive Summary: Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997
Sheriffs’ departments (76%) were about twice as

likely as county (40%) or State (37%) police

agencies to use boats and about 3 times as 

likely as municipal police (26%) to do so. 

All but a few of the State and local law enforcement agencies with 100 or more officers authorized their officers to use semiautomatic sidearms.

About two-thirds of the State police agencies

authorized the 40-caliber version and about half

the 9mm. More than two-thirds of municipal

police (74%), sheriffs’ (69%) and county police

(67%) departments authorized 9mm semiautomatic sidearms. A majority of sheriffs’ departments also authorized their officers to use

.40-caliber semiautomatic sidearms.

About two-fifths of larger sheriffs’ (41%) and municipal police (39%) departments required all field

officers to wear body armor compared to about a

fourth of State and county police agencies. 

The use of batons was authorized by all but a few

agencies, with the collapsible variety the most likely

to be authorized by both State (78%) and local

(71%) agencies. Pepper spray was also a widely

authorized type of nonlethal weapon, with over 90%

of the agencies of each type allowing for its use. 

For each agency type, this was an increase over

1993 levels.

After batons and pepper spray, flash/bang grenades

were the next most authorized nonlethal weapon,

with 73% of local and 59% of State law enforcement

agencies authorizing them. 

About three-fourths of State police agencies used

video cameras in at least some patrol cars during

1997, as did a majority of larger sheriffs’ (57%) and

county (53%) police agencies. Municipal police

departments (41%) were the least likely to be using

in-car video cameras. 

About two-thirds of State police agencies (69%)

were using tire deflation spikes in 1997. Among

local law enforcement agencies with 100 or more

officers, nearly half of sheriffs’ departments (47%)

used them compared to about a fourth of county

(27%) and municipal (22%) police departments. 

Nearly three-fifths of larger county police agencies

(57%) were using stolen vehicle tracking devices,

compared to about a third of municipal police (35%)

and a fifth of sheriffs’ and State police agencies.

Computers and information systems

More than 90% of State police agencies used some

type of mobile computer or digital terminal in 1997,

as did 78% of larger local law enforcement

agencies. Laptops were used by a majority of 

both State (88%) and local (62%) agencies. Carmounted digital terminals were used by about half 

of municipal police agencies compared to about 

a third of other agencies.

During 1997 the Nation’s larger law enforcement

agencies primarily used paper reports to transmit

field report data to their central information system.

Some State police (10%), municipal police (8%), and

sheriffs’ (7%) departments used computer methods

such as diskette transfer or laptop downloads. 

 Executive Summary: Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997 5

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

Percent of agencies authorizing pepper spray

State

Local

1997

1993

Law enforcement agencies with 100

or more full-time sworn personnel

Percent of law enforcement agencies authorizing

the use of pepper spray, 1993 and 1997
In about half of larger local law enforcement

agencies and a third of State agencies, at

least some officers had direct computer

access to vehicle and driving records while 

in the field. In more than a fourth of larger

local law enforcement agencies, at least 

some officers in the field had direct computer

access to criminal history (28%) and calls for

service (27%) information. 

About half of larger local law enforcement

agencies used digital imaging for mug shots

during 1997, including 68% of sheriffs’ departments. Fifty percent of county police departments

used digital imaging for suspect composites, as 

did 41% of sheriffs’ departments and 30% of 

municipal police departments.

A majority of State and local law enforcement

agencies with 100 or more officers either owned 

or had access to an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). This included four-fifths 

of county police agencies and nearly three-fourths 

of sheriffs’ departments.

 

Three-fifths of larger local law enforcement agencies

used computers for crime mapping during 1997.

Nearly half were geocoding and mapping incident

(49%) and calls for service (44%) data. More than a

third were geocoding and mapping arrest data

(36%). 

More than three-fourths of larger local law enforcement agencies maintained computerized files on

calls for service (94%), arrests (93%), incident

reports (88%), evidence (81%), criminal histories

(78%), and warrants (77%). 

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

Percent of agencies using mobile computers or terminals

State

Local

1993

1997

Percent of law enforcement agencies using mobile computers

or terminals, 1993 and 1997

Law enforcement agencies with 100

or more full-time sworn personnel

6 Executive Summary: Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997

Warrants 77 80 70 95 49

Evidence 81 87 78 86 47

Incident reports 88 90 88 90 69

Criminal histories 78 83 75 86 53

Calls for service 94 90 96 90 57

Arrests 93% 90% 93% 94% 73%

Percent of agencies that maintained 

computerized files on &

Suspect composites 34 50 30 41 14

Mug shots 51 40 45 68 14

Fingerprints 44% 50% 39% 58% 35%

Percent of agencies using digital imaging for &

Wireless transmission (cellular, UHF) 1 0 1 2 0

Telephone line (voice) 5 7 4 7 0

Paper report 86 90 87 84 90

Data device (laptop download) 3 3 3 5 2

Computer medium (disk transfer) 4% 0% 5% 2% 8%

Percent of agencies in which primary method 

of transmitting criminal incident reports to 

central information system is &

law enforcement

 Sheriff agencies

 Municipal

 police

 County

item description Total police

Local law enforcement agencies Primary State

Computers and information systems in State and local law enforcement 

agencies with 100 or more sworn personnel
Policies and programs 

All local law enforcement agencies with 100 or more

officers had written policies pertaining to the use of

deadly force. In addition, nearly all had directives on

employee conduct and appearance (99%), handling

juveniles (97%), less-than-lethal force (97%), citizen

complaints (96%), domestic disputes (96%), and

off-duty employment (95%). 

All State law enforcement agencies had written

directives on deadly force, employee conduct and

appearance, and off-duty employment, and 94% had

directives pertaining to citizen complaints and lessthan-lethal force.

A majority of both State and local agencies had

written directives on discretionary arrest powers,

employee counseling, maximum work hours for

officers, handling mentally ill persons, and strip

searches.

All but a few of the State and local law enforcement

agencies with 100 or more officers had a written

policy pertaining to vehicle pursuits. Both local

(82%) and State (59%) agencies were most likely 

to have a policy that restricted vehicle pursuits by

specific criteria such as type of offense or speed.

State agencies (37%) were more likely than local

ones (10%) to have a policy that leaves pursuit

decisions to the officer’s discretion. In a small

percentage of municipal police (4%) and sheriffs’

(3%) departments, the official agency policy discouraged all vehicle pursuits.

Many larger local law enforcement agencies

operated special units with personnel assigned fulltime to address specific community problems. Fourfifths had a full-time unit for drug education in

schools, and more than half operated a unit to deal

with juvenile delinquency (61%) and gang (53%)

problems. Nearly half had full-time special units for

child abuse (49%) and domestic violence (43%). 

 Executive Summary: Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997 7

Youth outreach

Missing children

Domestic violence

Child abuse

Gangs

Juvenile delinquency

Drug education in schools

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Percent of local law enforcement agencies

Special units in local law enforcement agencies

with 100 or more full-time sworn personnel

Percent of local agencies operating full-time special units for youth and family problems, 1997