A project of LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute

San Diego at a glance

Population by race and Hispanic origin

Cities in this database with the most similarly-sized populations

Full-time law enforcement staff, San Diego Police Department

  • 1,777 Officers
  • 566 Civilian staff

Full-time law enforcement officers per 1,000 residents

  • 1.7 San Diego
  • 2.4 National average, cities with 250,000+ population
  • 2.2 National average

These figures reflect the San Diego Police Department only, and do not include state or other police agencies that may be present in this location.

Federal grant funding for San Diego

Data was last updated February 15, 2025

We identified over $65.2M in federal grant funding, FY 2015-2025

Grant funding over time

Grant funding by federal department

Recent grants

USA spending grants for: San Diego
Amount Start and end dates Recipient and description Awarding agency CFDA program Type
$5,166,915.00 1/1/2024
12/31/2025		 SAN DIEGO, COUNTY OF THE HIDTA PROGRAM REDUCES ILLICIT DRUG SUPPLY BY AIDING FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. PERFORMANCE IS MEASURED BY DISMANTLING/DISRUPTING DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MONEY LAUNDERING ORGANIZATIONS AND IMPROVING EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INITIATIVES. Executive Office of the President Office of the National Drug Control Policy 95.001 High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program Prime
$782,490.00 10/1/2023
9/30/2026		 SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA (CDCA) COVERS SEVEN COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: LOS ANGELES, VENTURA, SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO, ORANGE, RIVERSIDE, AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES. IT IS THE LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY, SERVING OVER 19 MILLION RESIDENTS. SINCE 2019, MANY NEIGHBORHOODS… Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 16.609 Project Safe Neighborhoods Prime
$514,129.00 10/1/2023
9/30/2027		 CITY OF SAN DIEGO THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING FUNDS TO SUPPORT SPECIALIZED PROJECTS. BULLETPROOF VESTS FOR SPECIALIZED UNITS, AND UPGRADES TO THE MESH COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM. THE CONTINUED FUNDING FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ALLOWS THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PURSUE PROJECTS FOR THE BET… Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program Prime
$601,856.00 10/1/2022
9/30/2026		 CITY OF SAN DIEGO THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL UTILIZE THE FY 23 LOCAL JAG AWARD TO SUPPORT SPECIALIZED PROJECTS; BULLETPROOF VESTS FOR SPECIALIZED UNITS, AND UPGRADES TO THE MESH COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM. THIS FUNDING ALLOWS THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PURSUE PROJECTS FOR THE BETTERMENT AND SAFETY OF OF… Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program Prime

View all grants

Military equipment transfers

We were unable to locate any military equipment transfers for this location using the LESO Property Transferred to Participating Agencies database published by the Defense Logistics Agency. It is possible that this location has acquired military equipment for policing via other sources or programs.

Local police misconduct data, consent decrees, and settlements

Data last updated January 25, 2022

Settlements

We identified 1 publicly reported settlement that resulted in $25,000,000.00 in monetary compensation to victims.

Settlements
Year Description Outcome
2008 - 2015

Between 2008 and 2016, the San Diego Police Department spent $25 million to resolve lawsuits, some of which were for police misconduct.

In 2016, local news channel NBC 7 reviewed every lawsuit involving the San Diego Police Department since 2008. It determined that taxpayers paid more than $25 million since 2008 to settle lawsuits against the department. Specifically, settlement payouts ranged from $1.1 million (in 2008), nearly $5 million (in 2013), and $9.5 million (in 2015). According to NBC 7’s analysis, the department settled an average of 177 claims per year, and the biggest individual payouts involved police misconduct allegations.

Source

Mary Payton and Tom Jones, "San Diegans Paying Millions in Police Misconduct Settlements", NBC San Diego, May 26, 2016

Compensation
$25,000,000.00