Which State Has the Most Police Officers?

It would make sense that the higher the population of a given state, the higher the number of full-time legal enforcement officers in a given state. However, this trend does not always hold. For instance, whereas Florida has a higher population than Texas, the two states have almost an equal number of full-time legal enforcement officers. Similar trends are observable between Illinois and Georgia, states with a significant population disparity, but with almost equal numbers of full-time law enforcement officers nonetheless. California has more police officers than any other state. 

4. Georgia - 47,887

Georgia follows at position nine, with full-time law enforcement employees totaling 47,887. The total population of Georgia amounts to approximately 7.9 million people. The complexity of Georgia makes it highly uncontrollable. A majority of Georgia residents have a low median income, a factor that would contribute to crime and hence attention of legal services.

3. Texas - 54,353

Number 3 is Texas, with 54,353 full-time officers. From a historical perspective, Texas is famous for its ranch and farming cultures, together with the high levels of gun ownership. A report published by the federal government in 2013 showed that gun misuse and instances of crime arose out of the high population levels in the state, coupled with often unrestricted gun usage.

2. New York - 62,962

New York comes in as the state with the second largest number of full-time law enforcement officers, with a total full-time workforce of 62,962 officers. New York State, being one of the most populous states in the U.S., is also home to some of the most challenging civil environments to live in in the country. Additionally, New York City is the central business zone of America, with high investment rates, employment rate, higher rates of street and homeless populations and high rates of crime in America.

1. California - 78,062

The state with the highest number of police officers is California. This should come as no surprise, as the state of California has the largest population among the states. There are nearly 80,000 police officers working in California today, with the largest police department being in Los Angeles with the LAPD.