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The largest police departments and sheriff's offices in the US.

The 50 largest local police departments and the 50 largest sheriff's offices, ranked by full-time sworn officers from Bureau of Justice Statistics data, with what the list means for companies that sell to law enforcement.

Updated November 1, 2026 · By Kensington Sales Group · 5-minute read

Key takeaways

  • The New York City Police Department is the largest in the US, with 36,008 full-time sworn officers, followed by Chicago (11,965) and Los Angeles (9,870).
  • The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is the largest sheriff's office, with 9,351 full-time sworn personnel, followed by Harris County, Texas (2,207).
  • The figures come from the Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2016 survey of law enforcement agencies, the most recent official release that names the largest agencies. A few large agencies didn't complete the survey and aren't listed.
  • Most purchases involve command staff, IT, fleet and city or county procurement, and larger contracts go to the council or board for approval.

The 50 largest police departments

Local police departments ranked by full-time sworn officers in 2016. Names are as BJS printed them.

Showing all 50 police departments

#Police departmentStateFull-time sworn officers (2016)
1New York (NY) PoliceNY36,008
2Chicago (IL) PoliceIL11,965
3Los Angeles (CA) PoliceCA9,870
4Philadelphia (PA) PolicePA6,031
5Houston (TX) PoliceTX5,203
6Washington (DC) Metropolitan PoliceDC3,712
7Dallas (TX) PoliceTX3,408
8Miami-Dade (FL) PoliceFL2,723
9Phoenix (AZ) PoliceAZ2,689
10Las Vegas (NV) Metropolitan PoliceNV2,566
11Baltimore (MD) PoliceMD2,524
12Nassau County (NY) PoliceNY2,462
13Suffolk County (NY) PoliceNY2,385
14San Francisco (CA) PoliceCA2,356
15Detroit (MI) PoliceMI2,250
16San Antonio (TX) PoliceTX2,244
17Boston (MA) PoliceMA2,099
18Memphis (TN) PoliceTN2,012
19Honolulu (HI) PoliceHI1,962
20Milwaukee (WI) PoliceWI1,879
21Baltimore County (MD) PoliceMD1,869
22San Diego (CA) PoliceCA1,857
23Columbus (OH) PoliceOH1,838
24Austin (TX) PoliceTX1,807
25Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) PoliceNC1,743
26Atlanta (GA) PoliceGA1,730
27Prince George's County (MD) PoliceMD1,650
28Fort Worth (TX) PoliceTX1,541
29Cleveland (OH) PoliceOH1,475
30Denver (CO) PoliceCO1,464
31Metropolitan Nashville (TN) PoliceTN1,403
32Seattle (WA) PoliceWA1,373
33Fairfax County (VA) PoliceVA1,369
34Kansas City (MO) PoliceMO1,364
35Louisville (KY) Metro PoliceKY1,246
36Montgomery County (MD) PoliceMD1,230
37St. Louis (MO) PoliceMO1,175
38Oklahoma City (OK) PoliceOK1,101
39Cincinnati (OH) PoliceOH1,032
40El Paso (TX) PoliceTX1,026
41Newark (NJ) PoliceNJ955
42Tampa (FL) PoliceFL950
43San Jose (CA) PoliceCA927
44Pittsburgh (PA) PolicePA892
45Portland (OR) PoliceOR881
46Tucson (AZ) PoliceAZ876
47Jersey City (NJ) PoliceNJ854
48Omaha (NE) PoliceNE848
49Minneapolis (MN) PoliceMN841
50Birmingham (AL) PoliceAL830

The 50 largest sheriff's offices

Sheriff's offices ranked by full-time sworn personnel in 2016. Offices with the same count share a rank.

Showing all 50 sheriff's offices

#Sheriff's officeStateFull-time sworn personnel (2016)
1Los Angeles County Sheriff's DepartmentCA9,351
2Harris County Sheriff's OfficeTX2,207
3Riverside County Sheriff's OfficeCA2,048
4Orange County Sheriff-Coroner DepartmentCA1,744
5Jacksonville Sheriff's OfficeFL1,577
6Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeFL1,539
7Orange County Sheriff's OfficeFL1,432
8Broward County Sheriff's OfficeFL1,425
9San Diego County Sheriff's OfficeCA1,322
10Sacramento County Sheriff's OfficeCA1,246
11Hillsborough County Sheriff's OfficeFL1,226
12Alameda County Sheriff's DepartmentCA989
13Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's OfficeLA927
14Dallas County Sheriff's OfficeTX832
15Pinellas County Sheriff's OfficeFL782
16Oakland County Sheriff's OfficeMI781
17Jefferson Parish Sheriff's OfficeLA759
18Ventura County Sheriff's OfficeCA747
19Shelby County Sheriff's OfficeTN619
20Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office-CoronerCA601
21Lee County Sheriff's OfficeFL578
22Bexar County Sheriff's OfficeTX560
22Collier County Sheriff's OfficeFL560
24Franklin County Sheriff's OfficeOH553
25Pasco County Sheriff's OfficeFL545
26Loudon County Sheriff's OfficeVA536
27Pima County Sheriff's DepartmentAZ533
27Richland County Sheriff's OfficeSC533
29Kern County Sheriff's Department-CoronerCA523
30Onondaga County Sheriff's OfficeNY519
30Jefferson County Sheriff's OfficeAL519
32El Paso County Sheriff's OfficeCO518
33Tulare County Sheriff's OfficeCA516
34Jefferson County Sheriff's OfficeCO514
35Rapides Parish Sheriff's OfficeLA512
36Passaic County Sheriff's OfficeNJ505
37Manatee County Sheriff's OfficeFL494
38St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's OfficeLA480
39Brevard County Sheriff's OfficeFL478
40Santa Clara County Sheriff's OfficeCA456
41Volusia County Sheriff's OfficeFL453
42Tarrant County Sheriff's OfficeTX450
43Johnson County Sheriff's OfficeKS449
44Bibb County Sheriff's OfficeGA447
45Dane County Sheriff's OfficeWI446
46Greenville County Sheriff's OfficeSC437
47East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's OfficeLA435
47Unified Police Department of Greater Salt LakeUT435
49Seminole County Sheriff's OfficeFL421
50Caddo Parish Sheriff's OfficeLA410

About this data

Both lists come from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) 2016 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey, published in the reports Local Police Departments, 2016: Personnel and Sheriffs' Offices, 2016: Personnel. BJS's later reports group agencies by size rather than naming them, so 2016 is the most recent official agency-by-agency ranking. Staffing has changed at many agencies since, so use the counts as a guide to size.

  • Not every agency responded. BJS notes that the Indianapolis, New Orleans and Miami police departments didn't complete the 2016 survey. Among sheriff's offices, Cook County (IL), San Bernardino County (CA), Fresno County (CA), King County (WA), Polk County (FL), Bergen County (NJ), Wayne County (MI) and Maricopa County (AZ) aren't included for the same reason.
  • Two separate lists. BJS ranks police departments and sheriff's offices in separate tables, so we kept them apart rather than combining them.
  • Names appear as BJS printed them, including "Loudon County" for Virginia's Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

What this list means for public safety vendors

Large agencies buy like small governments. A big department has divisions for patrol, investigations, communications, training, fleet, technology and records, each with its own needs, and purchases usually run through the city or county's procurement office.

  • Start with the people who own the problem. Division commanders and civilian managers define requirements; the chief or sheriff and the council or board approve larger purchases.
  • Follow the money. Agency budgets, capital plans and federal grants fund many technology and equipment purchases. See federal grants for local government purchases.
  • Watch public meetings. Council and board agendas show upcoming contracts and renewals. Our guide to government buying signals explains where to look.
  • Remember the rest of the market. Most US law enforcement agencies are far smaller than these, and together they're a large market of their own.

How KSG helps public safety vendors

Kensington Sales Group has run public safety outreach for companies that sell to law enforcement for years. For Brother Mobile Solutions, our team has contacted more than 10,000 law enforcement agencies and booked more than 800 qualified meetings. See our public safety work.

Sources

  • Bureau of Justice Statistics, Local Police Departments, 2016: Personnel (NCJ 252835), Appendix table 1: bjs.ojp.gov
  • Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sheriffs' Offices, 2016: Personnel, Appendix table 1: bjs.ojp.gov
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest police department in the US?
The New York City Police Department, with 36,008 full-time sworn officers in the Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2016 survey, more than the next two largest departments, Chicago and Los Angeles, combined.
What is the largest sheriff's office in the US?
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, with 9,351 full-time sworn personnel in 2016, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
What's the difference between a police department and a sheriff's office?
A police department usually serves a city or town, or in some places a county, and reports to a mayor, manager or council. A sheriff's office is usually a county agency led by an elected sheriff, and in many states it also runs the county jail and provides court security.
Why does this list use 2016 data?
The 2016 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey is the most recent official source that names and ranks individual agencies. Later BJS reports group agencies by size instead. We'll update the page if a newer agency-level ranking is published.
How do police departments buy equipment and technology?
Divisions define the need, and the purchase usually runs through the city or county procurement office as a bid, a cooperative contract or a sole-source purchase, with council or board approval above set dollar amounts. Federal and state grants fund many purchases.

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