The Police Administration Survey collects data on police personnel and expenditures from each municipal, provincial and federal police services in Canada. The following security agencies are excluded from the survey: the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, railway and military police, and government departments enforcing specific statutes in the areas of income tax, customs and excise, immigration, fisheries and wildlife. Additionally, private security services and private investigators are not included in the survey.

Data presented in this report represent police personnel as of May 15, 2017 and year‑end operating expenditures for the 2016 calendar year or the 2016/2017 fiscal year. Police officers include the actual number of permanent sworn police officers available for active duty as of May 15, 2017. Part‑time personnel are converted to a full‑time equivalent. Police expenditures represent actual operating expenditures and include salaries and wages, benefits, and other operating expenses such as accommodation costs, fuel, and maintenance. Expenditure data represent gross expenditure, and does not include capital expenditures, funding from external sources, or cost recovery dollars.

Since 2012, the Police Administration Survey has included a Supplemental questionnaire which captures detailed information on hires, departures, eligibility to retire, years of service, age, education, visible minority status, and language. Due to data quality issues, some of this information is not published.