Brian A. Reaves, Ph.D.

June 26, 2012    NCJ 238250

Presents data from 73 federal law enforcement agencies that employed full-time officers with authority to make arrests and to carry a firearm while on duty. The report describes federal law enforcement agencies by the number of sworn officers, type of agency, primary state of employment, and law enforcement function. It details data by sex and race of officers for agencies with 500 or more federal officers; presents overall growth patterns in employment; and summarizes Federal Bureau of Investigation data on federal officers killed and assaulted.

Highlights include the following:

• In September 2008, federal agencies employed approximately 120,000 full-time law enforcement officers who were authorized to make arrests and carry firearms in the United States.
• The four largest agencies, two in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and two in the Department of Justice (DOJ), employed 4 in 5 federal officers.
• Women accounted for 15.5% of federal officers with arrest and firearm authority in 2008. This was a slightly lower percentage than in 2004 (16.1%), but higher than in 1996 (14.0%).

Part of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Series

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