On Monday, February 6, 2023, Chief of Police Larry Gonzalez gave the Human Resources Board an update on the state of the Riverside Police Department [RPD], now the largest department in the City with over 500 staffed positions. “We always like to start off with our mission,” said Chief Gonzalez, RPD is “dedicated to improving the quality of life by creating a safe environment in partnership with the people we serve.”
The Chief’s update focused largely on staffing levels, diversity, and ongoing recruitment efforts. RPD currently has 348 sworn officers, with vacancies in 83 positions, and 155 supporting staff, with 35 vacancies.
43 of RPD’s police officers are female, 12.4% of the total roster. “This is the highest percentage of females we’ve had in our department since I’ve been here” Gonzalez reported, “we’re proud of that, but we can also do a lot better.”
Efforts to understand and increase the Department’s diversity were also highlighted. “Hopefully [these numbers] will balance out with these recruitment efforts we are on right now” the Chief said.
Current Riverside Police Department Officer Demographics
| Race/Ethnicity | Total | % | City Profile* |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 207 | 59.5% | 26.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 108 | 31% | 57.2% |
| Black / African American | 16 | 4.6% | 5.1% |
| Asian/Other | 15 | 4.3% | 7.6% |
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islands | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Native American | 0 | 0% | 0.5% |
| Other | 1 | 0.3% | 2.5% |
*2019 Census Data
