Policing has evolved over the past 60 years, having moved from an enforcement-centric approach to a community-based policing model. At the same time, the threats to our homeland have increased and the need for law enforcement to adapt is more important than ever. 1
According to a 2008 census of U.S. law enforcement agencies, almost half (49 percent) of all law enforcement agencies in the United States employ fewer than 10 full-time officers, while nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of sworn personnel work for agencies that employ 100 or more officers. Local police departments are the largest employer of sworn personnel, accounting for 60 percent of the total. Sheriffs’ offices are the second-largest, accounting for 24 percent of sworn employees. 2 Given those statistics, one could also assume that, across the United States, the majority of police work is performed by local police and sheriff departments.
