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Each state has a primary state law enforcement agency. Depending on the state, this agency could be a highway patrol, state police, or department of public safety. Because of the variation in law enforcement agency arrangements, it is difficult to compare agencies across states. If a state has a highway patrol agency, it also has a department of public safety or its equivalent. Each of these agencies varies in its sphere of authority and jurisdiction.

State police agencies have the responsibility for providing general law enforcement services in the state. This includes traffic enforcement on state roads and highways and criminal investigations relating to drug trafficking, fraud, serial crimes, cyber and computer crimes, arson, tactical enforcement, explosives, and other matters in which local police agencies request the assistance of the state police. State police agencies also operate forensic crime laboratories, criminal information computer networks, and emergency management services, and they provide law enforcement officer training and certification. States that have this type of agency include Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, and Colorado. The largest state police agency is the New York State Police, which numbers 5,046 sworn personnel.³²

The jurisdiction of a state highway patrol agency is limited primarily to state and interstate roads, highways, and interstate highways, although these agencies may assist other law enforcement agencies on other matters when requested. Highway patrol agencies are responsible for enforcement of traffic and other laws and also regulate vehicle safety through inspections and cargo movement. Patrol is provided via marked and unmarked automobiles and often motorcycles and aircraft. Wisconsin, Georgia, Florida, and Alaska are examples of states with a highway patrol (in Wisconsin and Georgia the agency is referred to as the state patrol; in Alaska it is called the state troopers). The largest highway patrol agency is the California Highway Patrol, which has 7,401 sworn personnel.³³

As noted, if a state has a highway patrol agency, it also has a related agency that provides other state law enforcement services, including investigations and forensic support. For example, Wisconsin has the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Georgia has the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Florida has the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Alaska has the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The largest of these agencies is the Texas Department of Public Safety, which employs 4,187 sworn personnel.³⁴