5 Largest Police Departments in the US

In this article, we take a look at the 5 largest police departments in the US. If you would like to take a detailed look at our analysis of the police industry, you can go to the 20 Largest Police Departments in the US. 

5. Houston (TX) Police

Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 5,203

Population Served: 2,303,482

Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 23

According to the Houston police department, it received 90,654 calls for service in January 2024. The weighted average of the response time was 57.47 minutes, 13.9% less than January 2023. The department currently employs 929 civilian employees in addition to its full-time sworn personnel.

4. Philadelphia (PA) Police

Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 6,031

Population Served: 1,567,872

Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 38

The Philadelphia police department was formed in 1854, which makes it one of the oldest police departments in the US. With over 6,000 sworn personnel and 800 civilian personnel, it is one of the largest police departments in the country.

3. Los Angeles (CA) Police

Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 9,870

Population Served: 3,976,322

Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 25

The LAPD serves 21 community areas, which house almost 4 million individuals, which is why it is one of the largest police forces in the US. The department established its Community Safety Partnership (CSP) program in 2011, which enables residents to engage in community policing initiatives.

2. Chicago (IL) Police

Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 11,965

Population Served: 2,704,958

Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 44

The Chicago Police Department serves 25 districts with a collective residential size of 2.7 million individuals. In 2023, the department received 77,523 crime complaints, a 55% increase from 2019. The highest number of complaints were related to motor vehicle theft, followed by theft and then robbery.

1. New York (NY) Police

Number of Full-Time Sworn Personnel: 36,008

Population Served: 8,537,673

Personnel per 10,000 Residents: 42

The NYPD is the largest police department in the US based on personnel strength. The department has 77 precincts and employs 36,008 sworn officers, substantially higher than any other local police department in the country. NYPD also employs 19,000 civilian employees in addition to its sworn workforce.

You can also peek at the 19 Most Densely Populated States in the US and the 16 Hardest Countries to Get Citizenship by Naturalization.