Police Employment, Officers Per Capita Rates for U.S. Cities Cities' police officer per capita rates vary depending on a range of factors. In 2016, police departments serving cities with populations exceeding 25,000 employed an average of 16.8 officers and 21.4 total personnel for every 10,000 residents. Washington, D.C., and Chicago recorded the highest tallies of officers per capita among big cities reporting data to the FBI.