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25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked

Based on official sworn officer census data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program, these 25 municipal police departments protect millions of residents across America.

7 hours ago

10 Min Read26 Slides
  1. NYPD Deploys Thirty-Five Thousand Uniform Officers Across New York
▼ Visual Countdown

Based on official sworn officer census data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, these 25 municipal police departments represent the largest local law enforcement agencies in America.

Swipe or tap ▶ to begin the countdown

©Wikimedia / Jmabel & Wikimedia / Noah Wulf

📖 Complete Countdown Guide

All 25 Entries in this Story

25 Highlights · Full Editorial Review
#1

25. Seattle Police Department

Patrols mobilize. Approximately twelve hundred sworn officers safeguard Puget Sound neighborhoods across five designated geographic precincts. Specialized marine harbor units and bicycle squads navigate waterfront corridors and hilly downtown commercial districts daily.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Seattle Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Jmabel
#2

24. Kansas City Police Department

Units coordinate. Fourteen hundred uniform officers secure three hundred nineteen square miles of urban and suburban Missouri terrain. Governed by a unique state board of police commissioners, division units maintain rapid emergency response capabilities.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Kansas City Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Kansas City Police Department
#3

23. Denver Police Department

Units deploy. Nearly fifteen hundred sworn officers protect six patrol districts spanning mountain foothill elevation zones. Mounted units and motorcycle details manage large downtown assembly corridors near major professional sports stadiums.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Denver Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Slogger
#4

22. Milwaukee Police Department

Precincts activate. Sixteen hundred active uniform personnel protect Lake Michigan shoreline neighborhoods across seven municipal district stations. Community oriented policing teams work directly alongside neighborhood associations to address local public safety priorities.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Milwaukee Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Michael Barera
#5

21. Austin Police Department

Squads monitor. Seventeen hundred sworn officers safeguard the booming Texas capital across three designated command regional sectors. Lake patrol details and tactical bicycle squads secure vibrant downtown entertainment districts throughout major cultural festivals.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Austin Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / boklm
#6

20. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

Patrols circulate. Seventeen hundred officers patrol combined Marion County jurisdictions following a major city and county consolidation. Special event details coordinate mass transit routing and crowd safety during world-famous international motor racing championships.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Tiptoety
#7

19. Fort Worth Police Department

Officers advance. Seventeen hundred active officers cover three hundred fifty square miles of rapidly expanding North Texas territory. Specialized equestrian teams preserve western heritage while maintaining public order across bustling historic stockyard districts.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Fort Worth Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Mmc1099
#8

18. San Diego Police Department

Divisions watch. Eighteen hundred fifty officers secure one hundred miles of Pacific coastline across nine geographic divisions. Air support helicopters and harbor units patrol international border approaches and bustling commercial maritime shipping channels.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — San Diego Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Visitor7
#9

17. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

Cruisers roll. More than eighteen hundred fifty sworn personnel protect major banking headquarters across thirteen separate division stations. Aviation units coordinate aerial surveillance with highway patrol teams to maintain traffic flow across interstate loops.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Washuotaku
#10

16. San Francisco Police Department

Squads deploy. Nineteen hundred uniform officers patrol dense residential hills and iconic waterfront docks across ten district stations. Motorcycle divisions and foot patrols weave through steep cable car corridors and busy financial district plazas.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — San Francisco Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Frank Farm
#11

15. Columbus Division Of Police

Cruisers navigate. Nineteen hundred sworn officers safeguard Ohio's largest metropolis across twenty precinct sectors and five major subdivisions. Helicopter patrol teams support ground units during large university campus gatherings and state government legislative sessions.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Columbus Division Of Police
Photo: Wikimedia / Bwsmith84
#12

14. Memphis Police Department

Patrols respond. Nineteen hundred uniform officers safeguard Mississippi riverfront commerce and vital global air cargo logistics distribution corridors. Mounted units and tactical squads maintain visible public presence along famous Beale Street musical entertainment venues.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Memphis Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Thomas R Machnitzki
#13

13. Boston Police Department

Forces mobilize. Twenty-one hundred uniform officers protect historic cobblestone neighborhoods across twelve designated municipal area districts. Founded in 1838, the historic agency coordinates harbor patrol crafts and tactical units across bustling international seaports.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Boston Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Bwsmith84
#14

12. San Antonio Police Department

Officers watch. Twenty-four hundred active personnel protect five hundred square miles of sprawling South Texas residential and commercial corridors. Bicycle squads and foot officers patrol winding River Walk paths below street level near major downtown landmarks.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — San Antonio Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / U.S. Air Force
#15

11. Detroit Police Department

Precincts protect. Twenty-five hundred sworn officers patrol eleven precincts across one hundred thirty-nine square miles of urban Michigan terrain. Real-time crime operations centers leverage integrated camera networks to support officers during active emergency street dispatches.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Detroit Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Michael Barera
#16

10. Baltimore Police Department

Squads deploy. Twenty-five hundred uniform personnel protect nine historic municipal districts surrounding Baltimore's active industrial seaport. Tactical marine vessels and canine tracking units provide vital security around bustling Inner Harbor tourism complexes.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Baltimore Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Famartin
#17

9. Phoenix Police Department

Precincts patrol. Twenty-seven hundred sworn personnel cover more than five hundred square miles across the sprawling Valley of the Sun. Air support helicopters navigate extreme summer heat to assist ground units during high-speed desert valley vehicle pursuits.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Phoenix Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Marine 69-71
#18

8. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Corridors secured. Three thousand sworn officers safeguard Clark County neighborhoods and the world-famous four-mile Las Vegas resort corridor. Specialized tourist safety units and explosive detection canine teams maintain high visibility across crowded casino resort plazas.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Noah Wulf
#19

7. Dallas Police Department

Squads mobilize. Thirty-one hundred uniform officers protect seven major geographic divisions across three hundred eighty-five square miles. Tactical flight units and specialized crisis negotiation squads respond swiftly to critical incidents throughout metropolitan Dallas.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Dallas Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Michael Barera
#20

6. D.C. Metropolitan Police Department

Avenues secured. Thirty-four hundred municipal officers protect federal capital avenues and seven distinct residential patrol districts. Agency coordinators work alongside United States Capitol Police and Secret Service details during major diplomatic motorcades.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Daniel X. O’Neil
#21

5. Houston Police Department

Patrols mobilize. Fifty-three hundred sworn personnel protect six hundred sixty-five square miles of residential neighborhoods and industrial energy corridors. Helicopter tactical divisions and specialized dive teams maintain around-the-clock readiness across extensive coastal bayou networks.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Houston Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Tiptoety
#22

4. Philadelphia Police Department

Districts guarded. Fifty-eight hundred active uniform officers safeguard twenty-one geographic districts across one hundred forty square miles. Founded in 1751, the agency deploys highway patrol units and marine squads across Delaware River maritime shipping docks.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Philadelphia Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Bwsmith84
#23

3. Los Angeles Police Department

Forces roll. Ninety-three hundred sworn officers safeguard twenty-one community divisions spanning nearly five hundred square miles. Air support division helicopters operate the largest municipal police aviation fleet in the world across Southern California skies.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Los Angeles Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Colin
#24

2. Chicago Police Department

Cruisers deploy. Eleven thousand seven hundred uniform officers protect twenty-two municipal districts spanning two hundred thirty square miles. Marine units secure vast Lake Michigan waterfront channels while mounted details patrol major downtown lakefront park festivals.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — Chicago Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Bwsmith84
#25

1. New York City Police Department

Precincts command. Thirty-five thousand uniform personnel protect eight million residents across seventy-seven local precinct stations. Extensive emergency service units and transit bureaus patrol subterranean subway tunnels and iconic five-borough landmarks 24/7.

25 Largest Municipal Police Departments in the United States, Ranked — New York City Police Department
Photo: Wikimedia / Famartin

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