ATLANTA – New research has revealed that Georgia has ranked in the top 10 states with the highest increase in police force growth rate.
Release:
- The state in which the police force is growing the most is Nebraska, with a growth rate of 13.39% between 2022-2023
- West Virginia has the second highest growing police force with a growth rate of 10.99%, Montana closely behind with a growth rate of 10.26%
- New York has the highest decrease in the size of its police force, with a growth rate of -23.07%
New research has revealed the states with the highest and lowest growth rates in the police force – Nebraska crowned top with the highest growth rate of 13.39%.
A new study, carried out by Pre-Settlement Legal Funding Company, High Rise Financial, analyzed data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics including employee data by job, state and year and then narrowed down to police related job titles. Such jobs included first-line supervisors of police and detectives, detectives and criminal investigators and police and sheriff’s patrol officers among other related occupations. The total count of the job titles for 2023 was then compared with corresponding data from 2022 to calculate the percentage change per state to determine which states have the highest and lowest growth rates.
The state with the highest growth rate in the police force is Nebraska, with an increase of 13.39% between 2022 and 2023. There were 4,330 people working for the police force as of May 2022 and a year later, that had increased to 4,910 employees. In 2022, bill LB1270 was passed which appropriated $10 million to establish a premium payment program for officers who have stayed in their position for a certain amount of time, with the intention of a $1,000 bonus per police officer. As a result, they’re giving a 22% increase in pay and 5% each year to retain state troopers.
West Virginia has the second biggest increase in police force, with a growth rate of 10.99%. In 2022, there were 3,820 residents working for the police force which then grew to 4,240 by 2023. A recent bill in West Virginia, SB 423 has set to increase salaries for certain state employees, including the West Virginia state police, for the fourth year in a row at a 5% increase per year.
The third state with the highest growth rate in the police force is Montana, with an increase of 10.26%. As of 2022, 2,730 Montanans worked within a sector of the police force, which increased to 3,010 a year onward. According to the Montana POST Council, which is responsible for setting and enforcing requirements for prospective public safety officers, the population of Montana has grown 14% over the past several years, indicating a healthy and open job market for the state. This includes much availability for aspiring police officers.
Placing fourth, with a police force growth rate of 10.17% is Connecticut. There were 9,240 employees working within the police force in 2022, which then expanded to 10,180 in the year of 2023. Those looking to work in Connecticut may have an even greater desire to pursue law enforcement because of the high salary potential. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean wage of Connecticut police officers is over $75,000 annually. This is $15,000 more than the average salary for police patrol officers, which was $60,210 by the end of 2022.
In fifth place is Rhode Island, with a police growth rate of 9.06%. A total of 2,980 Rhode Islanders were employed by the police force in 2022, which then expanded to 3,250 exactly a year later. In Providence, Rhode Island, reforms to the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights were passed to cleanse the police force of brutality after a series of police misconduct cases locally and nationally. The legislation knuckles down on punishments of police who display irrational behavior on the job.
The top ten states with the highest increase in police growth rate
Rank State Police Force Growth Rate Between 2022-2023 1 Nebraska 13.39% 2 West Virginia 10.99% 3 Montana 10.26% 4 Connecticut 10.17% 5 Rhode Island 9.06% 6 North Dakota 9.05% 7 Missouri 7.23% 8 Georgia 7.17% 9 Wisconsin 7.05% 10 Minnesota 6.30%
Rounding out the top ten with the highest increase are North Dakota, with a growth of 9.05%, Missouri, with 7.23%, Georgia in eighth, with 7.17%, Wisconsin, with 7.05% and finally Minnesota, with 6.30%.
The state with the biggest decrease in police force employees is New York, with a growth rate of -23.07%. In 2022, New York has 73,780 people working for the police force. This has changed dramatically in just the space of a year, with 55,760 employees remaining in 2023.
Delaware has the second biggest decrease in employees, with an overall growth rate of -9.05%. Delawareans in 2022 held 2,430 jobs in the police force, yet a year later in 2023, this decreased to 2,210.
The third biggest decrease in police force is Idaho, with a growth rate of -5.93%. The number of police force employees totaled 4,550 in 2022, but by 2023, the number of Idahoans working in the police sector dropped to 4,280.
In fourth place with the biggest decrease is Maine, which has an overall growth rate of -5.41%. In 2022, the people of Maine took up 3,140 jobs in the police force, which then dropped to 2,970 in 2023.
The state with the fifth biggest decrease it its police force is Louisiana, with a total growth rate of -5.22%. Louisiana had 17,630 residents working for the police force in 2022. This then dropped to 16,710 employees in 2023.
The top ten states with the highest decrease in police force growth rate
Rank State Police Force Growth Rate Between 2022-2023 1 New York -23.07% 2 Delaware -9.05% 3 Idaho -5.93% 4 Maine -5.41% 5 Louisiana -5.22% 6 Ohio -5.09% 7 New Hampshire -4.01% 8 Texas -3.67% 9 Wyoming -3.39% 10 Iowa -3.03%
Rounding out the top ten with the highest decrease are Ohio, with a growth rate of –5.09%, New Hampshire, with –4.01%, Texas, with –3.67%, Wyoming, with –3.39% and lastly Iowa, with –3.03%.
