How many police are working in California? I'm looking for a number
that includes all police employed by all levels of government (eg
state, municipal, etc). I don't want to include private security
guards or former police officers now employed solely by a private
company.

Hello.

Approximately 90,000 to 100,000.


See:

"Governor creates California homeland security office
...He said the new office would help coordinate and share information
among California's 90,000 police officers, sheriff's deputies and
other law enforcement officials."
source: Associated Press,  2/8/2003
http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/news/newsdetail.asp?newsid=203

"The governor noted the state has 90,000 police, highway patrol and
sheriff's deputies, "
source: San Jose Business Journal, 2003
http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2003/02/03/daily86.html

"One point I've been making a long time is that we're more secure if
we can get all 90,000 sworn police officers in California on the same
page of protecting us from terror and crime, and the more information
you can get, the more secure we'll be."
source: Gov. Gray Davis, 2003, quoted by CNN.com
http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0302/07/lol.05.html

From the California Peace Officers Association:

"The more than 100,000 professional peace officers serving with you in
California urge you to become a "hero" by supporting this most
worthwhile project."
California Peace Officers Association
http://www.cpoa.org/Newsletter/past/dec02newsletter.pdf

The California Peace Officers Association's 100,000 figure may be
bigger because that organization also draws members from federal law
enforcement agencies. See:
"...members of all ranks from municipal, county, state and federal law
enforcement agencies."
http://www.cpoa.org/

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search strategy:
"california's * police officers"
"90000 police" california
"california peace officers"

Thanks!