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.
Research indicates that rural locations have higher rates of mental illness, opiate addiction and suicide than urban areas
Understanding the potential for risk, and the different types of criminals game wardens hunt just might save a life
Chief James Small of the Palmyra Public Safety Department has slowed down officer turnover to nearly a stop
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
Poor leadership can be particularly destructive for an agency’s ability to recruit and retain its workforce
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
Distance from backup and trauma care are the perils of rural policing
If officers work at will, then every cop is one bad boss, one 'wrong' arrest or one citizen complaint away from the unemployment rolls
A lot can go down when backup is two hours away
Some of the reforms being proposed nationwide seem more like fantasy than realistic goals for rural law enforcement
It is likely that more than one officer will be involved in most critical incidents, which can cripple staffing in a small department
From chief to CHP officer to game warden, female cops patrol some of the most rural spots in the nation
Of the 285 officers shot in 2019, nearly a quarter of them were policing towns with fewer than 11,000 people
Out of a series of conversations between the feds and rural cops comes a report detailing the dire issues facing those who police small-town America
As all first responders gear up to respond to the impact of a global pandemic, rural and small agencies face significant challenges unique to their communities
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