Police response times from different agencies and reports cannot be ranked side by side without knowing how each figure was produced. Each source can define the clock differently, average over a different mix of calls, and cover a different period. The Safe Smart Living report, as summarized by Security Magazine on 2019-01-01, gives Los Angeles an average of 5.7 minutes and Denver an average just under 13 minutes. It gives Chicago 3.5 minutes, but only for serious emergency calls, so that figure is not comparable with the other two.
Why are police response times hard to compare?
Each figure is only as comparable as the method behind it. The source summary does not describe how each city’s average was calculated, so any ranking built from these numbers rests on assumptions the source does not confirm.
Different agencies use different measurement definitions
A single average can describe different events. Some reports start the clock when a call is received, others at a different point, and the summary does not say which measurement definition applies to each city. Even within one city, a figure limited to one call category measures something different from a figure covering all calls.
Averages hide skewed distributions and outliers
A mean is pulled upward by a small number of very long waits. Response times typically have a long tail, so two cities with the same average can have very different typical experiences. An average alone does not show the spread or the share of calls answered slowly. A few extreme outliers can shift a mean enough to change a ranking, so an average should be read alongside the distribution wherever the source publishes one.
Reporting periods and call mixes vary by source
A figure that includes low-priority calls and one that excludes them measure different call mixes, and therefore different workloads. A reporting period also matters: a figure for one year or one season may not match a figure drawn from another window. The fact sheet does not give the data period for the Los Angeles or Denver averages, so their timing cannot be verified.
What counts as response time: dispatch or arrival?
“Police response time” does not name one interval. Reports can start and stop the clock at different points, so a figure only means something once you know which segment it measures. Three segments are commonly separated:
| Interval | Starts | Ends | What it isolates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call-to-dispatch | Call received by the dispatch center | Unit assigned and sent | Call handling and assignment speed |
| Dispatch-to-arrival | Unit sent | Unit on scene | Travel time from the moment of dispatch |
| Total | Call received | Unit on scene | Full time from call to presence |
Call-to-dispatch measures how long the dispatch center takes before a unit is sent. It reflects call-taking and assignment, not driving distance. Dispatch-to-arrival measures travel once a unit is already moving, so it is shaped by road networks, traffic, and where units are located when they are assigned. The total interval combines both, and reports that use different intervals can disagree even when they describe the same city.
Priority filters change which calls enter the calculation. A figure restricted to a subset of calls, such as serious emergencies, is not directly comparable with a figure covering all calls.
Reported response times in big US cities
The most specific published figures come from a Safe Smart Living report, as summarized by Security Magazine and dated 2019-01-01. The summary gives average police response times for Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago, but the three figures do not measure the same thing, so they cannot be ranked directly.
| City | Reported figure | Metric as labeled | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 5.7 minutes | Average police response time | Safe Smart Living report, via Security Magazine (dated 2019-01-01) |
| Denver | Just under 13 minutes | Average police response time | Same report and summary |
| Chicago | 3.5 minutes | Serious emergency calls only | Same report and summary |
Los Angeles and Denver are both labeled as an average police response time, but the summary does not say how each average was calculated or whether the two share the same definition, call mix or period. Los Angeles comes in at 5.7 minutes. Denver is listed as just under 13 minutes, and the summary does not give a more precise value, so none should be inferred.
Chicago’s 3.5 minutes is limited to serious emergency calls. An average restricted to that call category is expected to differ from an average across all call types, so placing Chicago beside the other two would give a misleading comparison.
When you compare published response times, check three things before drawing conclusions:
- The metric label: whether the figure is a general average or a subset such as serious emergencies.
- The source and its date: the figure’s date is the date of the summary you are reading, which may differ from the period the underlying data covers.
- The precision: a phrase such as “just under 13 minutes” is an approximation, not a measured value.
Why do Chicago, Los Angeles and Denver figures differ?
The three published averages are not computed on the same basis, so they cannot be ranked against each other as printed. The Safe Smart Living report, as summarized by Security Magazine on 1 January 2019, gives Los Angeles an average police response time of 5.7 minutes and Denver an average just under 13 minutes.
| City | Published average | Incident scope (per the summary) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 3.5 minutes | Serious emergency calls only |
| Los Angeles | 5.7 minutes | No restriction mentioned |
| Denver | Just under 13 minutes | No restriction mentioned |
Scope of incidents
Incident scope is the first variable. A figure limited to serious emergency calls excludes routine and lower-priority requests. Because priority calls are handled differently from routine ones, the mix of call types in a dataset changes the average. A low Chicago figure therefore reflects a narrower set of incidents, not a like-for-like performance result.
Collection period and report year
The summary does not state the period over which each city’s data was collected, nor a separate reporting year for each figure. The only date it provides is the summary’s publication date, 1 January 2019. Without the collection window, a reader cannot confirm that the three averages describe the same months or years. A different window can capture different call volumes and conditions, which shifts the result even when the same method is applied.
What to check before comparing
- Confirm the collection window for each city in the original report.
- List the call categories included in each figure.
How do staffing levels affect response times?
The Security Magazine summary of a Safe Smart Living report gives average police response times of 5.7 minutes for Los Angeles, just under 13 minutes for Denver, and 3.5 minutes for Chicago. The summary does not provide officer counts, so these averages cannot show whether staffing explains the differences. Testing that relationship requires staffing data for each city, measured over the same period as the response times.
Officers per capita and per square mile
Two ratios normalize headcount so that cities of different sizes can be compared:
- Officers per 1,000 residents = sworn officers / population × 1,000
- Officers per square mile = sworn officers / land area in square miles
Per-capita ratios reflect workload from residents. Per-square-mile ratios reflect how thinly officers are spread across the ground they must cover. A city can score well on one and poorly on the other, so compare both before drawing conclusions.
Shift coverage during peak call hours
Average headcount hides timing. The coverage gap is the difference between the number of officers on duty during peak call hours and the number needed to meet demand. To measure it, compare on-duty staffing by hour against the hourly call volume, and look at the periods when staffing falls below demand. Averages across a full day can mask these gaps.
Overtime, vacancies and unit availability
Headcount on paper is not the same as units available to respond. Three indicators show the difference:
- Vacancies: budgeted positions that are unfilled
- Overtime: hours worked beyond scheduled shifts, which can signal stretched coverage
- Unit availability: the share of patrol units free to take calls at a given time
A department with a full roster but low unit availability can still show slow response times.
Where can you find your city’s official dispatch data?
Official response-time data usually comes from three places: the city’s open data portal, the police department’s own reporting, and formal public records requests. Each gives a different level of detail, so start with the most detailed source you can access and work outward.
The open data portal is the first place to check. Many large US cities publish their computer-aided dispatch (CAD export) files as downloadable datasets, often in CSV format. Search the portal for terms such as “calls for service,” “dispatch,” or “police incidents.” These files typically list incidents with timestamps, so you can calculate intervals yourself rather than relying on a published average.
Police department annual reports and dashboards are the second source. They usually show summary figures, such as average or median response times, broken down by district or call priority. They are easier to read than raw logs, but they rarely explain how the averages were calculated. Look for a methodology note, and check whether the reported figure covers all calls or only a subset.
When the portal and the annual report do not contain what you need, file a public records request with the police department. Ask specifically for raw timestamps, meaning the time each call was received, dispatched, and arrived on scene, along with the call priority code. Requests are typically made under your state’s public records law, and the agency may ask for a fee or a narrowed scope. Specify the date range and file format (CSV or spreadsheet) in the request to avoid delays.
Third-party summaries can point you to the original data. For example, Security Magazine published a summary of a Safe Smart Living report dated 1 January 2019, which cited average response times of 5.7 minutes for Los Angeles and just under 13 minutes for Denver. Use such summaries to locate the underlying report, then verify the figures against the city’s own data before you publish a comparison.
What should movers check beyond the averages?
A citywide average can hide large differences between neighborhoods. The published figures are citywide: Los Angeles is listed at an average police response time of 5.7 minutes and Denver at just under 13 minutes, and neither figure says anything about individual neighborhoods. Before choosing where to move, check the points below.
Neighborhood-level figures versus citywide averages
Ask whether response times are published by district, precinct, or patrol area, and find the figure for the area that covers your street. A city average blends busy and quiet zones, so it tells you little about the unit that would actually respond to your address. If only a citywide number exists, treat it as a rough reference and not as a neighborhood-specific guarantee.
Trend direction across multiple reporting years
Compare at least three consecutive reporting years for the same area instead of relying on one snapshot. A single year can reflect a temporary spike or a quiet period. Note whether the neighborhood figure is rising, falling, or flat. A slower response time that is improving can be a more useful signal than a faster one that is getting worse.
Station coverage area boundaries for your address
Confirm which station or precinct is assigned to your exact address. Boundaries do not always follow neighborhood names, so two adjacent streets can fall under different units. Check the boundary on the department’s official map, if one is published, and confirm that the address sits well inside the zone rather than on its edge, where a reassignment would change the figure that applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rank Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago by police response time using these figures?
Not directly. Chicago’s 3.5 minutes covers only serious emergency calls, so it cannot be set against the other two figures. The Los Angeles (5.7 minutes) and Denver (just under 13 minutes) averages come from the same summary, but it does not confirm they share a measurement definition or reporting period, so treat their gap as indicative only.
Does a 5.7-minute average mean most calls in Los Angeles get a response in under six minutes?
Not necessarily. An average shows the central value of all calls, but it does not reveal how many were answered quickly or how long the slowest waits lasted. The summary does not publish a response-time distribution for Los Angeles, so the typical experience of a caller there cannot be read from this figure.
What should I check in a police response-time report before relying on it?
Check three things: when the clock starts, which call category is included, and the reporting period covered. The Security Magazine summary does not state these details for the three cities, so any comparison that depends on them remains unverified. Opening the original Safe Smart Living report would be the way to confirm them.
