U.S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAM Federal Law Enforcement Officers, 1996 This report is one in a series. More recent editions may be available. To view a list of all in the series go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pubalp2.htm#fleo By Brian A. Reaves, Ph.D. BJS Statistician -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Highlights Percent change in the number of Federal officers with arrest Number of and firearms authority, 1996 officers, 1996 Immigration and Naturalization Service 31.0 12,403 U.S. Marshals Service 23.1 2,650 Federal Bureau of Prisons 13.5 11,329 Drug Enforcement Administration 4.7 2,946 Internal Revenue Service 4.5 3,784 Federal Bureau of Investigation 3.1 10,389 U.S. Postal Inspection Service -.3 3,576 U.S. Customs Service -3.7 9,749 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms -4.6 1,869 *Areas of duty for Federal officers included criminal investigation and enforcement (43%), corrections (21%), police response and patrol (16%), noncriminal investigation and enforcement (13%), court operations (4%), and security and protection (3%). *Three-fifths of Federal officers were employed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (12,403), the Bureau of Prisons (11,329), the FBI (10,389), and the Customs Service (9,749). Twelve other agencies employed at least 500 officers. *Nationwide there were 28 Federal officers per 100,000 residents. Out- side the District of Columbia, which had 1,198 per 100,000, States ranged from more than 50 per 100,000 in Arizona and Alaska, to under 10 per 100,000 in Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Ohio, New Hampshire, and Iowa. *Women accounted for 14% of Federal officers. By race and Hispanic origin, 72% of the officers were white non-Hispanic; 13% were Hispanics of any race; 12%, black non-Hispanic; 2%, Asian/Pacific Islander; and 1%, American Indian. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ As of June 1996 Federal agencies employed about 74,500 full-time personnel authorized to make arrests and carry firearms, according to agency responses to a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) survey. In a comparison of 1996 data with those reported by the same agencies for December 1993, employment of such personnel was up about 6%. As in 1993 the BJS officer count in 1996 includes all personnel with Federal arrest authority who were also authorized (but not necessarily required) to carry firearms in the performance of their official duties. Supervisory personnel are included. The totals exclude Federal officers serving in foreign countries or U.S. territories as well as those employed by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Armed Forces. They do include Federal correctional officers. Both the 1993 and 1996 surveys collected data on the primary job function of officers and their primary State of employment. The 1996 survey also collected data on the race and sex of Federal officers. ------------------------------------------- Job function of Federal officers ------------------------------------------- In response to the BJS survey, Federal agencies categorized their personnel with arrest and firearms authority into one of six categories according to their primary area of duty. The largest number, about 32,000, were placed under criminal investigation and enforcement (43%) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 1: Primary function of Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority, June 1996 Percent of Federal officers Criminal investigation 42.8 Corrections 21.2 Police response and patrol 16.2 Noncriminal investigation 12.9 Court operations 3.6 Security and protection 2.9 ----------------------------------------------------------------- The next largest category was corrections (21%) with about 16,000, followed by police response and patrol with 12,000 (16%) and noncriminal investigation and enforcement with just under 10,000 (13%). Smaller numbers performed duties related to court operations (4%), or security and protection (3%). (See page 10 for definitions of job function categories.) _________________________________________ Major employers of Federal officers Department of Justice agencies _________________________________________ The three largest employers of Federal officers were all in the Justice Department: the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 1. Federal agencies employing 500 or more full-time with authority to carry fiearms and make arrests, June 1996 Number of full-time Federal authorized to carry firearm Agency make arrests, June 1996 Immigration and Naturalization Service 12403 Federal Bureau of Prisons 11329 Federal Bureau of Investigation 10389 U.S. Customs Service 9749 Internal Revenue Service 3784 U.S. Postal Inspection Service 3576 U.S. Secret Service 3185 Drug Enforcement Administration 2946 Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts 2777 U.S. Marshals Service 2650 National Park Service 2148 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 1869 U.S. Capitol Police 1031 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 869 GSA-Federal Protective Service 643 U.S. Forest Service 619 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nearly half (44%) of the 12,403 INS officers with the authority to make arrest and carry firearms were Border Patrol agents. Border Patrol agents interdict undocumented aliens and contraband, including narcotics. These 5,441 agents were all categorized under the police response and patrol category, and account for nearly half of the Federal officers in that category. The next largest group of INS personnel with arrest and firearms authority were the 3,401 immigration inspectors working at ports of entry. These officers were all categorized under the noncriminal investigation and enforcement category. The INS also employed 1,859 criminal investigators and immigration agents responsible for investigating crimes within its jurisdiction, and 1,702 detention and deportation officers. BOP correctional officers formed a large majority of the Federal officers categorized under the corrections category. As of June 1996, 11,329 such officers maintained the security of BOP institutions and the 94,000 inmates in custody. Daily correctional officer duties include providing custody and supervision of inmates, conducting searches for contraband, and responding to emergencies and disturbances. ***Footnote 1: In addition to correctional officers, BOP provides another 13,000 employees with arrest and firearms authority, so that they can perform these duties an necessary. The BJS survey limited its count to the full-time correctional officers in BOP facilities who performed these duties as their primary function.*** The FBI employed 10,389 full-time personnel with arrest and firearms authority. Nearly all were agents, responsible for criminal investigation and enforcement. FBI agents have broad investigative responsibilities covering more than 250 Federal crimes including bank fraud, embezzlement, kidnaping, and civil rights violations. The FBI has concurrent jurisdiction with another DOJ agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), over drug offenses under the Controlled Substances Act. The DEA employed 2,946 officers with the authority to make arrests and carry firearms. These DEA agents primarily investigate major narcotics violators, enforce regulations governing the manufacture and dispensing of controlled substances, and perform a variety of other functions in support of drug trafficking prevention and control. Also within the Justice Department is the U.S. Marshals Service which employed 2,650 officers with arrest and firearms authority as of June 1996. All of these officers were categorized under the court operations category; however, the agency has a wide range of responsibilities. The Marshals Service receives all persons arrested by Federal agencies and is responsible for their custody and transportation until they are sentenced. It also transfers sentenced Federal inmates between facilities with the help of the BOP. Additionally, the Marshals Service has jurisdiction over Federal fugitive matters: escaped prisoners; violators of probation, parole, and releases on bond; and persons under DEA warrants. Among the other responsibilities of the U.S. Marshals Service are management of the Federal Asset Seizure and Forfeiture and Federal Witness Security Programs, providing security for Federal judicial facilities and personnel, controlling riots on Federal property, and escorting missile convoys. ___________________________________ Treasury Department agencies ___________________________________ Treasury Department agencies employed about a fourth of all Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority. The U.S. Customs Service, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) were the major employers. The U.S. Customs Service employed 9,749 officers with arrest and firearms authority. This total included 3,540 criminal investigators and 6,197 inspectors performing noncriminal investigation and enforcement functions. Customs Service officers interdict and seize contraband entering the United States, process persons and items entering through U.S. ports of entry, and administer certain navigational laws. The Customs Service has investigative responsibilities covering more than 400 laws related to customs, drugs, export control, and revenue fraud. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the second largest Treasury Department employer of officers with arrest and firearms authority, had 3,784 such personnel as of June 1996. Eighty-nine percent worked in the Criminal Investigation Division, and 11% were employed by Internal Security. IRS agents primarily investigate tax fraud. Next largest was the U.S. Secret Service which employed 3,185 full-time personnel with the authority to make arrests and carry firearms. The total included 2,034 agents with criminal investigation and enforcement duties primarily related to counterfeiting, financial crimes, computer fraud, and threats against dignitaries. The remainder of Secret Service officers belonged to the Uniformed Division. These officers, all categorized under the police response and patrol category, provide protection for the White House Complex and other Presidential Offices, the Main Treasury Building and Annex, the President and Vice President and members of their immediate family, and foreign diplomatic missions. ATF employed 1,869 officers with arrest and firearms authority as of June 1996. ATF is primarily responsible for investigating the criminal use of firearms and explosives and for enforcing Federal laws that tax or regulate alcohol and tobacco. __________________________________ Other agencies __________________________________ Outside of the Departments of Justice and Treasury, the largest employers of Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority were the U.S. Postal Service, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and the National Park Service. Of the 3,576 officers employed by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 61% were classified under the criminal investigation and enforcement category. The remaining 1,388 officers provided security for Postal Service facilities, employees, and assets. As of June 1996 the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Federal Corrections and Supervision Division employed 3,473 probation officers, and 2,777 of them had arrest and firearms authority. ***Footnote 2: All Federal probation officers have arrest powers over probationers and supervised releasees. However, the chief judge in each of the 93 federal judicial districts with a probation office decides whether the probation officers in that district are permitted to carry firearms in the performance of their duties. As of June 1996, 86 districts permitted their probation officers to carry a firearm.*** These officers are responsible for supervising Federal offenders on probation or supervised release, and arresting violators. The National Park Service employed 2,148 full-time personnel with arrest and firearms authority at the time of the BJS survey. This included 1,543 park rangers (about a third of all rangers) who were commissioned as law enforcement officers. Additional rangers serving seasonally were also commissioned officers, but the survey considered them to be part-time. The Park Service total also includes 605 U.S. Park Police officers. Although most Park Police officers are in the Washington, D.C., area, they are authorized to provide police services for the entire National Park System. Other Federal agencies that employed 500 or more full-time personnel authorized to make arrests and carry firearms as of June 1996, included the following: The U.S. Capitol Police employed 1,031 officers to provide police response and patrol (79%) and other law enforcement services for the U.S. Capitol grounds and buildings. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Law Enforcement employed 869 officers to enforce Federal wildlife and environmental laws in the National Wildlife Refuge System. A majority were refuge officers, with most having collateral law enforcement duties related to police response and patrol. The remainder were special agents responsible for criminal investigations. The General Services Administration (GSA) employed 643 officers in its Federal Protective Service. These officers performed police response and patrol (90%) and criminal investigation (9%) duties related to Federal buildings and property and the employees and visitors using them. The U.S. Forest Service employed 619 officers responsible for criminal investigation and enforcement services related to National Forest System lands, facilities, and users. ____________________________________ Agencies employing fewer than 500 Federal officers ____________________________________ Overall, the 16 Federal agencies employing 500 or more officers accounted for about 70,000, or 94%, of the Federal officers covered by the BJS survey. Excluding offices of inspector general, there were 11 Federal agencies that employed at least 100 but fewer than 500 full-time personnel with the authority to make arrests and carry firearms. -------------------------------------------------------- Table 2. Agencies employing at least 100 but fewer than 500 full-time personnel authorized to make arrests and carry firearms, June 1996 Agency Number Bureau of Diplomatic Security 367 Amtrak 342 Bureau of Indian Affairs 339 U.S. Mint 224 Bureau of Land Management 208 Tennessee Valley Authority 194 Bureau of Engraving and Printin 165 Environmental Protection Agency 151 Food and Drug Administration 128 National Marine Fisheries Servi 117 Library of Congress 108 *A component of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. -------------------------------------------------------- The largest of these was the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security with 367 officers. Nearly all of these officers were categorized under security and protection because their primary function is to protect visiting dignitaries. The agency's investigative functions cover passport and visa fraud, and threats made against foreign missions in the United States, foreign dignitaries, or Federal employees. The next largest employers were Amtrak, with 342 full-time officers within its Police Division, and the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs which employed 339 within its Office of Law Enforcement. Other agencies employing at least 100 officers included the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration -- Office of Criminal Investigations, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Library of Congress. Agencies with fewer than 100 full-time personnel authorized to make arrests and carry firearms included the U.S. Supreme Court, the Bureau of Export Administration -- Office of Export Enforcement, the Government Printing Office, the National Institutes of Health, the Federal Air Marshals, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Veterans Health Administration. In addition to these agencies, 20 offices of inspector general employed more than 1,800 investigators with arrest and firearms authority during 1996 (table 3). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 3. Employment by offices of inspector general of full-time personnel authorized to make arrests and carry firearms, fiscal 1996 Number of full-time Federal officers authorized to carry Office of inspector general firearms and make arrests Total 1834 Department of Defense 363 Department of Agriculture 248 Department of Health and Human Services 165 Department of Labor 145 Social Security Administration 135 Department of Justice 111 Department of Housing and Urban Development 109 Department of Education 75 Department of Transportation 71 Department of Veterans Affairs 67 General Services Administration 58 Department of Energy 44 Small Business Administration 40 Department of the Treasury 36 Department of the Interior 36 Department of State 33 Environmental Protection Agency 30 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 28 U.S. Railroad Retirement Board 22 National Aeronautics and Space Administration 18 Source: Federal Law Enforcement: Investigative Authority and Personnel at 32 Organizations, General Accounting Office, July 1997. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the time of the 1993 BJS survey, most of these offices had their investigators deputized by the Justice Department on a case-by-case basis; however, these agencies are now granted a blanket, yearly deputization. Offices of inspector general are responsible for investigating criminal violations and for preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse related to Federal programs, operations, and employees. According to General Accounting Office data for fiscal 1996, the Departments of Defense (363) and Agriculture (248) employed the largest number of deputized investigators. Others with 100 or more included Health and Human Services (165), Labor (145), Social Security Administration (135), Justice (111), and Housing and Urban Development (109). _____________________________________ Sex and race of Federal officers _____________________________________ Data on the race and sex of Federal officers were provided by nearly all of the agencies responding to the BJS survey. Reported data covered about 67,000, or 90%, of the Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority employed as of June 1996. Overall, women accounted for 14% of Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 2. Sex and race of full-time Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority, June 1996 Percent of Federal officers Male 86.1 Female 13.9 White 72.5 Hispanic 13.4 Black 10.9 Asian/Pacific Islander 1.8 American Indain 1.3 Note: White and black officers were non-Hispanic. Hispanic officers could be of any race. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nearly a fourth of those employed by the Internal Revenue Service (23.4%) were women, the largest proportion of any agency with 500 or more officers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Table 4. Sex and race of Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority, agencies employing 500 or more officers, June 1996 Percent of officers with arrest and firearms authorit Race White, Black, Asian/ Sex non- Total non- Hispan Pacifi American Agency Total Male Female Total Hispanic minorit Hispanic any race Islande Indian Immigration and Naturalization Service 100 87.3 12.7 100 58.7 41.3 5.4 32.8 2.6 .5 Federal Bureau of Prisons 100 87.7 12.3 100 64.4 35.6 23.1 10.3 .9 1.3 Federal Bureau of Investigation 100 85.5 14.5 100 85.8 14.2 6.1 5.7 2.0 0.5 U.S. Customs Service 100 82.7 17.3 100 71.1 28.9 6.8 17.9 2.3 0.6 Internal Revenue Service 100 76.6 23.4 100 81.8 18.2 8.7 5.9 2.6 1.0 U.S. Postal Inspection Service 100 85.9 14.1 100 66.6 33.4 23.6 6.6 2.8 .4 U.S. Secret Service 100 91.2 8.8 100 79.8 20.2 12.9 5.4 1.2 0.7 U.S. Marshals Service 100 88.3 11.7 100 82.4 17.6 9.2 6.6 1.2 0.4 National Park Service 100 86.2 13.8 100 88.0 12.0 6.4 2.8 1.6 1.2 Ranger Division 100 84.2 15.8 100 91.2 8.8 3.2 2.3 1.7 1.6 U.S. Park Police 100 91.2 8.8 100 80.0 20.0 14.5 .4 1.3 .2 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 100 88.3 11.7 100 81.0 19.0 9.9 7.1 1.4 .6% U.S. Capitol Police 100 83.2 16.8 100 69.1 30.9 28.9 1.2 .7 .2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 100 91.8 8.2 100 94.0 6.0 1.0 2.8 .8 1.4 GSA-Federal Protective Service 100 90.4 9.6 100 55.1 44.9 33.4 9.3 2.0 .2 U.S. Forest Service 100 84.5 15.5 100 82.1 17.1 3.1 5.7 1.1 7.3 Note: Data were not provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration or the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. See table 1 for total number of officers employed by each agency. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Minority detail for the U.S. Customs Service and U.S. Marshals Service does not add to minority total because some employees were classified as "other" minorities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ About a sixth of the officers employed by the U.S. Customs Service (17.3%) were women. Among major Justice Department agencies, about 1 in 7 FBI personnel with arrest and firearms authority were women, compared to about 1 in 8 in the INS and BOP. More than a fourth of Federal law enforcement officers were members of a racial or ethnic minority (28.0%). Hispanics accounted for 13.1%, while 11.5% were non-Hispanic blacks, 1.9% Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 1.3% American Indians (figure 2). The largest minority representation among personnel with arrest and firearms authority was reported by the Federal Protective Service (44.9%), and the INS (41.3%). Other agencies where more than a fourth of the officers were members of a minority included the BOP (35.6%), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (33.4%), the U.S. Capitol Police (30.9%), and the U.S. Customs Service (28.9%). The Federal Protective Service (33.4%), U.S. Capitol Police (28.9%), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (23.6%) and BOP (23.1%) employed the highest percentage of blacks. For Hispanics, the highest percentages were found at the INS (32.8%) and the U.S. Customs Service (17.9%). The U.S. Forest Service (7.3%) employed the highest percentage of American Indians, while the U.S. Postal Inspection Service had the most Asian/Pacific Islanders (2.8%). _______________________________________ States where Federal officers worked _______________________________________ About half of all Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority were employed in California (10,469), Texas (8,836), New York (6,556), the District of Columbia (6,508), and Florida (4,980). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 5. Total number of full-time Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority, and number per 100,000 residents, by primary State of employment, June 1996 Number of officers Officers per 100,000 reside Police/ Police/ criminal criminal investi- nvesti- Total gation Other Total gation Other U.S. total 74493 43908 30585 28 17 12 Alabama 696 343 353 16 8 8 Alaska 325 210 115 54 35 19 Arizona 2608 1688 920 59 38 21 Arkansas 351 272 79 14 11 3 California 10469 6766 3703 33 21 12 Colorado 1442 577 865 38 15 23 Connecticut 412 244 168 13 7 5 Delaware 149 118 31 21 16 4 District of Columbia 6508 5231 1277 1,198* 963* 235* Florida 4980 2567 2413 35 18 17 Georgia 1869 955 914 25 13 12 Hawaii 511 224 287 43 19 24 Idaho 178 127 51 15 11 4 Illinois 2652 1471 1181 22 12 10 Indiana 629 288 341 11 5 6 Iowa 133 84 49 5 3 2 Kansas 390 82 308 15 3 12 Kentucky 851 285 566 22 7 15 Louisiana 1178 589 589 27 14 14 Maine 284 87 197 23 7 16 Maryland 1142 776 366 23 15 7 Massachusetts 1053 798 255 17 13 4 Michigan 1541 843 698 16 9 7 Minnesota 804 355 449 17 8 10 Mississippi 305 208 97 11 8 4 Missouri 1100 684 416 21 13 8 Montana 330 215 115 38 24 13 Nebraska 206 167 39 12 10 2 Nevada 459 351 108 29 22 7 New Hampshire 58 35 23 5 3 2 New Jersey 1997 977 1020 25 12 13 New Mexico 775 706 69 45 41 4 New York 6556 3561 2995 36 20 16 North Carolina 972 441 531 13 6 7 North Dakota 226 124 102 35 19 16 Ohio 883 709 174 8 6 2 Oklahoma 757 313 444 23 9 13 Oregon 649 346 303 20 11 9 Pennsylvania 2853 1283 1570 24 11 13 Rhode Island 94 59 35 9 6 4 South Carolina 486 230 256 13 6 7 South Dakota 155 79 76 21 11 10 Tennessee 935 572 363 18 11 7 Texas 8836 5120 3716 46 27 19 Utah 376 324 52 19 16 3 Vermont 162 72 90 28 12 15 Virginia 1891 1211 680 28 18 10 Washington 1246 705 541 23 13 10 West Virginia 486 91 395 27 5 22 Wisconsin 421 236 185 8 5 4 Wyoming 133 109 24 28 23 5 Note: Table excludes employees of the U.S. Armed Forces. Data on primary State of employment were available for 94% of Federal officers. Table is weighted to repre 100% coverage. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. *District of Columbia rates include a large number of headquarters employees whose duties may be national in scope. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These States accounted for more than half thenearly 44,000 full-time Federal officers performing police response and patrol functions or criminal investigation and enforcement functions as of June 1996. Other States with more than 2,500 Federal officers included Pennsylvania (2,853), Illinois (2,652), and Arizona (2,608). Ten additional States had at least 1,000 full-time Federal officers: New Jersey (1,997), Georgia (1,869), Michigan (1,541), Virginia (1,891), Louisiana (1,178), Colorado (1,442), Washington (1,246), Maryland (1,142), Missouri (1,100), and Massachusetts (1,053). New Hampshire, with 58, had the smal-lest number of full-time Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority, followed by Rhode Island with 94. Eight other States had fewer than 250 including North Dakota (226), Nebraska (206), Idaho (178), Vermont (162), South Dakota (155), Delaware (149), Iowa (133), and Wyoming (133). Overall, there were 28 Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority per 100,000 U.S. residents. The District of Columbia, with 1,198 per 100,000, had by far the highest ratio. Arizona and Alaska were next with 59 and 54 officers per 100,000 residents, respectively. Other States with an officer-to-resident ratio that was at least 10% higher than the national average included Texas (46 per 100,000), New Mexico(45), Hawaii (43), Colorado (38), Montana (38), New York (36), Florida (35), North Dakota (35), and California (33). There were fewer than 10 Federal officers per 100,000 residents in Rhode Island, Ohio, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Iowa. The INS employed more than half its officers in California (29%) and Texas (26%). Another sixth were employed in Arizona (8%) and New York (8%). About three-fourths of Border Patrol agents were based in California (37%) and Texas (36%). Another fifth were based in the other Mexican-border States of Arizona (13%) and New Mexico (6%). Five percent were employed in the 11 States that border Canada. The U.S. Customs Service employed about three-fifths of its officers in Texas (18%), California (18%), Florida (12%), and New York (12%). In both Texas (55%) and California (51%), more than half of the Federal officers worked for either the Customs Service or the INS. The Bureau of Prisons had the most correctional officers working in Texas (10%) and Pennsylvania (10%). Florida (8%), California (8%), and Colorado (7%) were next. The FBI reported that California, the District of Columbia, and New York each accounted for about 12% of its personnel with arrest and firearms authority. More than a fourth of IRS personnel with arrest and firearms authority were based in California (12%), New York (9%), and Texas (8%). Nearly a third of Postal Inspection Service officers were employed in New York (17%) and California (13%). The DEA based about half of its agents in California (16%), New York (12%), Texas (12%), and Florida (11%). The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts reported that Texas (11%) and New York (10%) were major States of employment for Federal probation officers with arrest and firearms authority. The U.S. Marshals Service had 12% of its officers in Virginia, while New York, California, the District of Columbia, and Texas each accounted for about 7%. The District of Columbia (18%) and California (12%) accounted for nearly a third of National Park Service personnel with arrest and firearms authority. The ATF based more than a fourth of its agents in the District of Columbia (10%), California (9%), and Texas (8%). Florida, Illinois, New York, Michigan, and Georgia accounted for another fourth. The Federal Protective Service had nearly half of its officers in the District of Columbia (21%), New York (16%), and California (11%). About a third of U.S. Forest Service officers were based in California (21%) and Oregon (11%). Another fourth were employed in Arizona, Idaho, Washington, Colorado, and Montana. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 6. Major States of employment for Federal agencies employing 500 or more full-time officers with authority to carry firearms and make arrests, June 1996 Agency Total Major States of employment* Immigration and Naturalization Servic 12403 California (3,587), Texas (3,164), Arizona (1,015), New York (949), Florida (637) Federal Bureau of Prisons 11329 Texas (1,155), Pennsylvania (1,085), Florida (959), California (8 Colorado (752), Illinois (589), New York (588), Georgia (529) Federal Bureau of Investigation 10389 California (1,283), District of Columbia (1,225), New York (1,208 Texas (746), Virginia (665), Florida (577), Illinois (459), Penns U.S. Customs Service 9749 Texas (1,737), California (1,720), Florida (1,214), New York (1,1 Arizona (469), New Jersey (426) Internal Revenue Service 3784 California (445), New York (351), Texas (312), Florida (231), Illinois (204), Pennsylvania (174) U.S. Postal Inspection Service 3576 New York (592), California (448), District of Columbia (306), Ill Pennsylvania (250), New Jersey (191), Texas (169), Florida (153) Drug Enforcement Administration 2946 California (463), New York (365), Texas (346), Florida (336) Illinois (153) Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts 2777 Texas (297), New York (272), North Carolina (163), Florida (147), California (120), Pennsylvania (117), Illinois (112) U.S. Marshals Service 2650 Virginia (323), New York (189), California (186), District of Col Texas (174), Florida (159) National Park Service 2148 District of Columbia (376), California (257), Arizona (112), Virg Maryland (100), Pennsylvania (99), New York (98) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 1869 District of Columbia (188), California (164), Texas (142), Florida (121), Illinois (114), New York (102), Michigan (88), Geo U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 869 California (55), Florida (51), Texas (47), Alaska (46), Virginia Louisiana (41), North Dakota (36), Minnesota (35) GSA--Federal Protective Service 643 District of Columbia (137), New York (100), California (68), Colo Missouri (41), Massachusetts (33), Washington (32), Texas (29) U.S. Forest Service 619 California (133), Oregon (69), Arizona (31), Idaho (31), Washingt Colorado (26), Montana (25) Note: The U.S. Secret Service did not provide data on State of employment. *States accounting for 4% or more of total. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___________________________________________________________ Trends in employment of Federal officers, 1993 versus 1996 ___________________________________________________________ Excluding offices of inspector general, the number of Federal officers with arrest and firearms authority increased about 6% between December 1993 and June 1996. Among agencies employing 1,000 or more officers with arrest and firearms authority, the INS had the largest change, from 9,466 to 12,403 -- an increase of 2,937, or 31%. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 3. Major employers of Federal officers, June 1996 and December 1993 1996 1993 Immigration and Naturalization Service 12403 9466 Federal Bureau of Prisons 11329 9984 Federal Bureau of Investigation 10389 10075 U.S. Customs Service 9749 10120 Internal Revenue Service 3784 3621 Postal Inspection Service 3576 3587 Drug Enforcement Administration 2946 2813 U.S. Marshals Service 2650 2153 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 1869 1959 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Large increases were reported by two other Justice Department agencies as well. The U.S. Marshals Service had the second largest percentage change, an increase of 23%, from 2,153 to 2,650. The BOP had the second largest increase in terms of numbers from 9,984 to 11,329, an increase of 1,345, or 13%. The DEA and the IRS both increased their number of officers about 5%, and the FBI, about 3%. The FBI employed about 300 more agents in 1996 than 1993. Two large employers of Federal officers showed a decrease in employment of officers with arrest and firearms authority. Compared to 1993 the U.S. Customs Service in 1996 had 371, or 4%, fewer officers, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms had 90 fewer, a decrease of 5%. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service showed virtually no change from 1993 to 1996, remaining at just under 3,600 officers. ______________________________________________________________ Federal law enforcement officers killed and assaulted, 1991-95 The Uniform Crime Reports Division of the FBI compiles data annually on law enforcement officers killed or assaulted in the United States and its territories. According to these data, Federal law enforcement officers experienced 3,886 assaults during the five-year period 1991-95, an average of nearly 800 per year. A total of 1,165, or 30%, of these assaults resulted in personal injury to the officer, and 21 resulted in an officer's death. About 37%, or 3 in 8, of all assaults on Federal officers involved the use of personal weapons, and 13%, or 1 in 8, the use of a firearm. Other weapons used included vehicles (8%), blunt objects (5%), knives (2%), and bombs (1%). Twenty percent of assaults involved a threat. Types of assaults on Federal officers, 1991-95 Personal weapon 38% Threat 20 Firearm 13 Vehicle 8 Blunt object 5 Knife 2 Bomb 1 Other 12 The largest percentage of assaults on Federal officers occurred while the officer was on patrol or guard duty (34%). Twenty-one percent were assaulted while conducting an investigation or search, and 14% while making an arrest or serving a summons. Circumstances of assaults on Federal officers, 1991-95 Patrol/guard duty 34% Investigation/search 21 Arrest/summons 14 Custody of prisoners 5 Office duty 4 Court duty 1 Protection duty 1 Other duties 20 The FBI data do not include assaults on Bureau of Prisons staff; however, BJS collects such data as part of its Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities. In 1995 alone, there were 1,124 assaults on Federal prison staff resulting in 1 death. Over its 67-year history BOP has experienced an average of one correctional officer death every 3 years. Based on the FBI data, the annual assault rate per 1,000 officers varies greatly among agencies employing 1,000 or more officers. Using the average number of assaults per year for the period 1991-95, the National Park Service had the highest annual rate, about 52 per 1,000. Next were the ATF (29.6), the DEA (25.5) and the INS (25.0). The lowest assault rates were at the FBI (3.5 per 1,000) and the IRS (2.6). Although the FBI data do not provide information below the agency level, different divisions within an agency may have dramatically different assault rates. For example, it is known that in 1992 there were 228 assaults on Border Patrol agents. Even using 1993 employment levels, this is an assault rate of 58.1 per 1,000 officers, considerably higher than the overall INS rate of 25 per 1,000. __________________________ Job function definitions __________________________ Police response and patrol -- Includes personnel whose duties are primarily related to preventive patrol, responding to reports of illegal or disruptive activities, arresting law violators, traffic control, crowd control, handling of emergencies, or other traditional law enforcement responsibilities. Criminal investigation and enforcement -- Includes personnel whose duties are primarily related to collection of evidence, interdiction and seizure of contraband, electronic surveillance, execution of search warrants, analysis of information, arrest of suspects, developing cases for prosecution, or other investigative and enforcement duties pertaining to Federal laws and/or regulations. Noncriminal investigation and enforcement -- Includes investigators, inspectors, and other personnel whose duties primarily involve employment and personnel security investigations, internal investigations, civil investigations, or any other type of investigation not considered to be criminal in nature. Security and protection -- Includes guards and other personnel whose duties are primarily related to providing security for Federal buildings, courts, records, assets, or other property or to providing protection for Federal Government officials, judges, prosecutors, jurors, foreign dignitaries, or other designated persons. Court operations -- Includes personnel whose duties are primarily related to pretrial investigation, probation, supervised release, arresting probation or supervised release violators, executing warrants, serving civil process, witness protection, or other activities related to the Federal court system. Corrections -- Includes correctional officers, detention guards, and other personnel whose duties are primarily related to the custody, control, supervision, or transportation of pretrial detainees, prison inmates, or detained illegal aliens. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix table A. Federal agencies employing full-time personnel with authority to carry firearms and Agency Department of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service, Law Enforcement and Investigations Department of Commerce Bureau of Export Administration, Office of Export Enforcement National Institute of Standards and Technology National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- National Marine Fisheries Service Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations National Institutes of Health, Police Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Law Enforcement Bureau of Land Management, Law Enforcement Bureau of Reclamation National Park Service -- U.S. Park Police and Ranger Activities Division U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Law Enforcement Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Prisons Immigration and Naturalization Service U.S. Marshals Service Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security Department of Transportation Federal Air Marshals Department of the Treasury Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Police Internal Revenue Service U.S. Customs Service U.S. Secret Service Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Other Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts -- Federal Corrections and Supervision Division Amtrak Police Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Criminal Enforcement General Services Administration -- Public Buildings Service, Federal Protective Service Government Printing Office, Police Library of Congress, Police Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Police Tennessee Valley Authority -- Public Safety Service U.S. Capitol Police U.S. Postal Inspection Service U.S. Supreme Court, Police Note: See table 3 for offices of inspector general having employees with arrest and firearms authority. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix table B. Female and minority representation among officers with arrest and firearms authority, selected components of the U.S. Armed Forces, June 1996 White, Black, Asian/ Number Sex non- non- Hispanic Pacific American of officers Total Male Female Total Hispanic Hispanic any race Islander Indian U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command 580 100 86.7 13.3 100 85.9 7.2 4.2 2.6 0 Intelligence and Security Command 710 100 83.1 16.9 100 85.9 10.1 3.0 1.0 0.0 Military Police 1372 100 83.2 16.8 100 83.2 10.5 3.7 2.0 0.6 U.S. Navy, Naval Investigative 897 100 84.7 15.3 100 87.4 5.9 3.6 2.9 0.2 U.S. Marine Corps 3629 100 94.1 5.9 100 80.7 9.1 8.3 0.8 0.4 Note: Table does not present complete data for the U.S. Armed Forces. It includes only those branches and components of the U.S. Armed Forces that responded to the BJS survey. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix table C. Major States of employment among officers with arrest and firearms authority, selected components of the U.S. Armed Forces, June 1996 Number of officers States employing 4% or more of total U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command 580 Virginia (92), Georgia (80), Texas (68), Washington (37), Kentucky (32), North Carolina (32) Intelligence and Security Command 710 Maryland (535), Georgia (98), Hawaii (56) Military Police 1372 Alabama (281), Virginia (200), North Carolina (114), Texas (105), Georgia (94), Kansas (94), New York (65), Washington (58) U.S. Navy, Naval Investigative Service 897 District of Columbia (200), California (152), Virginia (97), Florida (58) U.S. Marine Corps 3629 California (1,193), North Carolina (938), Virginia (536), Alabama (231), South Carolina (205), Hawaii (174) Note: Table does not present complete data for the U.S. Armed Forces. It includes only those branches and components of the U.S. Armed Forces that responded to the BJS survey. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Race detail for the Marine Corps does not add to 100% because some employees were classified as "other " minorities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Bureau of Justice Statistics is the statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. Jan M. Chaiken, Ph.D., is director. BJS Bulletins are a publication series that presents the first release of findings from permanent data collection programs. Brian A. Reaves, Ph.D., Chief, Law Enforcement and Pretrial Statistics, wrote this report. Jennifer McGihon assisted with data collection. Andrew L. Goldberg provided statistical review. Tom Hester edited and produced the first draft. Marilyn Marbrook supervised final production, with assistance from Yvonne Boston. January 1998, NCJ-164617 Readers who want additional data, analyses, and graphs about law enforcement and criminal justice issues in the United States should access the BJS Internet Web site: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ End of file