Kathleen Dias

Policing the Remote and Rural

Kathleen Dias writes features and news analysis on topics of concern to law enforcement professionals serving in rural and remote locations. She uses her background in writing, teaching and marketing to advocate for professional levels of training and equipment for rural officers, open channels of communication for isolated departments, and dispel myths about rural policing.

In this column, Kathleen explores topics relevant to law enforcement professionals in small communities, and rural and remote locations. The challenges facing rural officers in the 21st-century increase with each news cycle. This column addresses these challenges one by one, opening up new channels for discussion.

Full list of Kathleen Dias results

When housing costs hinder hiring
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As rural officers are priced out of the housing market, department heads scramble to fill positions and retain experienced staff
Rig life: What rural cops carry
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In rural areas where a beat can cover hundreds of square miles and backup is far away, a cop’s patrol rig is a shelter, shed and toolbox
How the data disproves the myth of Mayberry
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Tracking the number of shootings of police officers demonstrates that the risk rural officers face is measurable and substantial
A letter to the American public: Here’s what real police reform looks like
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Real reform means accepting that change is hard and expensive – but it’s worth it, if you do it right
Under-resourced and understaffed: How small LE agencies address mental health outreach
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Research indicates that rural locations have higher rates of mental illness, opiate addiction and suicide than urban areas
It’s personal: Understanding the risks poachers pose to LE
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Understanding the potential for risk, and the different types of criminals game wardens hunt just might save a life
How the right hiring process can solve some of the recruitment problems facing small PDs
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Chief James Small of the Palmyra Public Safety Department has slowed down officer turnover to nearly a stop
From Mayberry to Wind River: Rural cops on the big and small screen
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Not all police movies and TV shows are about big-city departments — here’s a selection of those set in the small towns and wilds
The challenge of hiring and keeping officers in small and rural agencies
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Poor leadership can be particularly destructive for an agency’s ability to recruit and retain its workforce
Safety and wellness threats are different for rural officers — here’s what police leaders need to know
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There is a 'healthcare desert' in rural communities, with a near complete absence of mental healthcare providers in general, never mind ones versed in police stress or trauma
‘It does happen here!’: Why rural cops need tacmed training, equipment
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Distance from backup and trauma care are the perils of rural policing
Why rural officers need workplace protections
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If officers work at will, then every cop is one bad boss, one 'wrong' arrest or one citizen complaint away from the unemployment rolls
Why de-escalation is a rural cop's lifeline
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A lot can go down when backup is two hours away
Why rural agencies face the most challenges from police reform
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Some of the reforms being proposed nationwide seem more like fantasy than realistic goals for rural law enforcement
Why even the smallest agency needs a critical incident response plan
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It is likely that more than one officer will be involved in most critical incidents, which can cripple staffing in a small department
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