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How many police officers are there in the U.S.?
In 2020, there were 696,644 full-time law enforcement officers employed in the United States. The number of full-time law enforcement officers reached a peak in 2008 with 708,569 officers, and hit a low in 2013 with 626,942 officers. That is about one officer for every 475 people. On the surface that makes sense. The vast majority of those sworn officers are hard working decent people doing a great job and are not paid nearly enough for what they do and the risks take.
But there is a huge problem. That number includes all Federal (US Marshalls, FBI, IRS, Border Patrol, prison guards etc.) LEOs, as well as State, County, and City officers. Little Cities and rural Counties is where the problem starts.
Take Siloam Springs AR. It has a population of 17,000 and has 45 city policemen. Prairie Grove AR has a population of 4,500 and it has 11 Officers.
In Missouri, Macks Creek had a population of 225 and had 3 police officers 2 squad cars, a Humvee and 3 M-16A1 rifles plus a city prosecutor and a city judge. Curryville MO had a population of 248 and 4 cops and a night court run by a Captain Kangaroo.
Remember the 475 number includes all Federal, all State, and all County Sheriff Deputies
Macks Creek and Curryville lost their city charters. 95% of their city revenues came from traffic tickets. But there are still little towns all over the country that employ crooks and con artists that belong in jail not wearing badges.
JMHO
In 2020, there were 696,644 full-time law enforcement officers employed in the United States. The number of full-time law enforcement officers reached a peak in 2008 with 708,569 officers, and hit a low in 2013 with 626,942 officers. That is about one officer for every 475 people. On the surface that makes sense. The vast majority of those sworn officers are hard working decent people doing a great job and are not paid nearly enough for what they do and the risks take.
But there is a huge problem. That number includes all Federal (US Marshalls, FBI, IRS, Border Patrol, prison guards etc.) LEOs, as well as State, County, and City officers. Little Cities and rural Counties is where the problem starts.
Take Siloam Springs AR. It has a population of 17,000 and has 45 city policemen. Prairie Grove AR has a population of 4,500 and it has 11 Officers.
In Missouri, Macks Creek had a population of 225 and had 3 police officers 2 squad cars, a Humvee and 3 M-16A1 rifles plus a city prosecutor and a city judge. Curryville MO had a population of 248 and 4 cops and a night court run by a Captain Kangaroo.
Remember the 475 number includes all Federal, all State, and all County Sheriff Deputies
Macks Creek and Curryville lost their city charters. 95% of their city revenues came from traffic tickets. But there are still little towns all over the country that employ crooks and con artists that belong in jail not wearing badges.
JMHO
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