About Cop Takeover

How deployment costs are estimated

We estimate hourly costs using city budget and staffing data, including public analyses like Vera Institute's What Policing Costs in America's Biggest Cities. Totals are based on headcount, equipment type, and reported deployment duration.

What's included

Officer, supervisor, vehicle, motorcycle, and aircraft estimated hourly costs. Estimates are directional and designed for transparency in civic discussions.

Officers and commanders/supervisors are counted separately by rank — commanders and supervisors (sergeants, lieutenants, captains) typically wear white or light uniform shirts, distinct from patrol officers' blue shirts.

Officer and vehicle counts aren't double-counting the same cost: officer cost reflects personnel time, while vehicle cost reflects the vehicle's own operating cost (fuel, wear, etc.). Count a vehicle even if its officers are already counted above.

Comparison data sources

• NLIHC (supportive housing)
• Feeding America (meals)
• SAMHSA (mental health care)
• BLS (teacher salary)
• HRSA ADAP (HIV medication)
• NAEMSP (community paramedic response)
• USFS (urban forestry)

Caveats and limitations

Data quality varies by city and year. Actual incident costs can differ due to overtime, specialty units, and non-public spending details.