What percentage of full-time sworn personnel in local police departments are racial and ethnic minorities?

• A. 27 percent
• B. 15 percent
• C. 30 percent
• D. 40 percent

Answer: (A)

Measuring the presence of racial and ethnic minorities among full-time sworn local police officers. The figure is roughly 27 percent, which best matches national data showing a little over a quarter of sworn officers come from minority groups (Black, Hispanic, Asian, etc.). This reflects ongoing diversification efforts, while minorities still do not constitute a majority of sworn personnel. The other numbers are outside the typical range: 15 percent is notably low for recent years, 30 percent is higher than most national estimates, and 40 percent would be unusually high for local departments.