I recently reviewed results from the DoJ BJS year-2000 LEMAS (law enforcement management and administration survey) report, and it includes agency operating costs on a per-FTE LEO basis. For sheriff’s offices and state agencies, the average was $108,000 per officer / deputy—about $51/hr. The cost was $83,638 for municipal police—roughly $42/hr. Importantly, these figures are now a decade old.
Reserve programs provide tremendous cost savings to law enforcement agencies. These include significant savings in manpower costs, as well as avoided long term obligations and salary overhead costs.
Reserve programs typically deliver a large contribution of volunteered time each year, and RLEOs typically equip themselves. Reserves participate in annual training and re-certification, again, typically on their own “nickel.” Even when RLEOs are paid, as part-timers they don't accrue retirement, vacation, sick pay, or other overhead costs that FTEs have.
An important differentiator is that RLEOs often bring unique skills to the agency, providing SMEs (subject matter experts) who are available for the right price (i.e., for free).
Each agency has to do its own calculations. But however these are made, a reserve program creates and maintains law enforcement resources with minimal expense. Given the current global environment, these represent significant cost benefits that cannot be ignored.
