BJS collects, analyzes, publishes, and disseminates information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. These data are critical to Federal, State, and local policymakers in combating crime and ensuring that justice is both efficient and evenhanded.

BJS Law Enforcement Summary Findings:

In 2004 there were more than 800,000 full-time sworn law enforcement officers in the United States

Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2004

Reports the results of a census, conducted every four years, of all State and local law enforcement agencies operating nationwide. The report provides the number of employees of State and local law enforcement agencies as of September 2004, including State-by-State data for sheriffs’ offices, local police departments, State police and highway patrol agencies, and special jurisdiction police.

Highlights include the following:

• In September 2004, 17,876 State and local law enforcement agencies with the equivalent of at least 1 full-time officer were operating in the U.S.
• From 2000 to 2004, full-time employment by State and local law enforcement agencies nationwide increased overall by 57,400 (or 5.6%).
• Although local police employment was up slightly nationwide from 2000 to 2004, 20 of the nation’s 50 largest local police departments saw a decline in sworn personnel during this period, including 6 of the 7 largest.

6/07 NCJ 212749

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Local Police Departments, 2003

Presents data collected from a representative sample of local police departments nationwide on a variety of agency characteristics based on the 2003 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey. National estimates for local police departments are provided for such issues as staff and financial resources, technologies and equipment in use, and policies and practices of the agencies on a wide array of law enforcement and administrative concerns.

Highlights include the following:

• In 2003 starting salaries for local police officers ranged from an average of about $23,400 in the smallest jurisdictions to about $37,700 in the largest.
• From 1990 to 2003 the percentage of local police departments using infield computers increased from 5% to 56%.
• Fourteen percent of local police departments, employing 44% of all officers, maintained or created a written community policing plan during the 12-month period ending June 30, 2003.

04/06 NCJ 210118

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Sheriffs’ Offices, 2003

Presents data collected from a representative sample of sheriffs’ offices nationwide on a variety of agency characteristics based on the 2003 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey. National estimates for sheriffs’ offices are provided for such issues as staff and financial resources, technologies and equipment in use, and agency policies and practices covering a wide array of law enforcement and administrative concerns.

Highlights include the following:

• In 2003 starting salaries for entry-level deputies ranged from an average of about $23,300 in the smallest jurisdictions to about $38,800 in the largest.
• From 1990 to 2003 the percentage of sheriffs’ offices using infield computers increased from 6% to 55%.
• Ten percent of sheriffs’ offices employing 31% of all officers, maintained or created a written community policing plan during the 12-moth period ending June 30, 2003.

04/06 NCJ 211361

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Federal Law Enforcement Officers, 2004

Federal Law Enforcement Officers, 2004, 08/06. Reports the results of a biennial census of Federal agencies employing personnel with arrest and firearms authority. NCJ 212750

As of September 2004, Federal agencies employed about 106,000 full-time personnel authorized to make arrests and carry firearms.

Census of Tribal Justice Agencies in Indian Country, 2002

Presents detailed information gathered on tribal law enforcement agencies, tribal courts and services, and criminal record systems from the 2002 Census of Tribal Justice Agencies in American Indian Jurisdictions. This project represents one of several components of BJS’ on-going program to improve justice statistics and criminal history record information systems in Indian country. The report includes data on the number of law enforcement agencies and officers; characteristics of tribal courts and their caseloads; types of available criminal sanctions; and criminal justice statistics data collection and sharing capacity. The census collected data from nearly 350 tribes in the continental U.S. and is the first comprehensive effort to identify the range of justice agencies operating in tribal jurisdictions, the services those agencies provide, and the types of information systems maintained.

Highlights include the following:

• 165 of the 314 responding tribes employed 1 or more full-time sworn officers with general arrest powers.
• An estimated 59% (188) of the 314 tribes had some form of judicial system.
• About 23% (71) of the responding tribes provided their own detention function. About two-thirds relied on local or county agencies to provide a jail or detention facility.

12/05 NCJ 205332

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Campus Law Enforcement, 2004-05

Presents findings from a BJS survey of campus law enforcement agencies serving 4-year colleges and universities with 2,500 or more students. The survey covered the 2004-05 academic year and collected data from agencies using sworn police officers and those using only nonsworn security officers. The report compares law enforcement agencies serving public and private campuses by number and type of employees, screening methods used for hiring officers, training and education requirements for officers, agency functions, types of equipment, computers and information systems, special programs, and written policy directives. General campus characteristics, including crime statistics, are also summarized. Appendix tables include data from 2-year public colleges with an enrollment of 10,000 or more.

Highlights include the following:

• Three-quarters of campus law enforcement agencies used sworn officers with full arrest powers.
• Nearly all campuses had 24-hour patrol, a 3-digit emergency number, and emergency blue-light phones.
• Among schools with 5,000 or more students, private campuses had more law enforcement employees per capita than public campuses.

02/08    NCJ 219374

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