U.S. Park Police grew as D.C. police numbers declined
Total police employed by the National Park Service compared to total sworn officers at D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department
A line chart showing the number of DC Metropolitan Police Department officers compared to U.S. park police officers nationwide. MPD's numbers slowly declined from 3,215 in January 2024 to 3,038 in July 2026 before recovering slightly to 3,165 in August 2026. Over the same period, U.S. Park Police grew from 510 officers to 776.
