Primary State Law Enforcement Agencies: Personnel, 2020

• NCJ Number: 307507
• Date Published: January 2024
• Author(s): Connor Brooks
• Length: 18 pages
• Agencies: BJS
• Publication Type: Publication; Statistics

Abstract

This report describes the number and demographics of full-time sworn officers employed by primary state law enforcement agencies. It also details job responsibilities, COVID-19 policies, and budgets of primary state law enforcement agencies. Primary state law enforcement agencies operate at the state level and may perform highway patrol, conduct statewide investigations, assist local and county police agencies with matters extending beyond their jurisdictions, and provide primary coverage in areas with no local or county police services. Findings in this report are from BJS’s Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey.

Highlights:

• Primary state law enforcement agencies employed about 61,200 full-time sworn officers and almost 31,700 full-time civilian personnel in 2020.
• In 2020, about 10% of full-time sworn officers in primary state law enforcement agencies were Hispanic, and 6% were black.
• In 2020, more than half (52%) of primary state law enforcement agencies had personnel assigned to full-time specialized units focused on impaired drivers.
• In 2020, primary state law enforcement agencies reported a combined total budget of about $15 billion, with an average of $317 million per agency.