Law enforcement agencies across America have faced unique challenges, from bootleggers to protesters, but these challenges have increased exponentially over the last decade, and they know no boundaries. As a result, small, rural, and tribal agencies have many of the same problems that larger law enforcement agencies have. Moreover, because of state requirements, small agencies also must meet the same certification and training requirements as their brethren in larger jurisdictions, so it is pretty inaccurate to suggest that their training requirements are less stringent. However, burdened by smaller tax bases, smaller agencies often lack the resources to protect the communities adequately they are sworn to serve.
The overwhelming majority of Federal funds are distributed to larger agencies with the resources to navigate bureaucracy and a complex grant process and can come up with matching funds. When smaller agencies are awarded grants, they are commonly—and mistakenly—assumed to be a fix for intractable financial problems. Additionally, many grants are restrictive and can only be used for a dedicated position that may not exist in smaller agencies with few specialist personnel. There is little point in applying for funding they are not likely to receive, while at the same time, few funding opportunities exist that address their needs.
Small, rural, and tribal law enforcement executives have been underrepresented in, if not entirely left out of, national discussions regarding law enforcement needs and challenges. Phil Keith, director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and Tracey Trautman, acting director of the Bureau of Justice Administration, acknowledged this by stating in a report that "despite the challenges small and rural law enforcement face, they have been largely left out of national conversations." Most recently, small, rural, and tribal law enforcement executives have been brought to the table under the leadership of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and National Institute of Corrections Acting Director Shaina Vanek. We applaud them for proactively addressing our concern and for acknowledging the experience, and professionalism our executives provide.
Recent events in large agencies, ranging from Minneapolis, with nearly 1,000 sworn officers, to New York City, with over 35,000 sworn officers, have encouraged discussions about police reform. However, we must remember that there are nearly 18,000 police agencies throughout the United States, with over 90 percent of them small, rural, and tribal agencies employing fewer than 50 sworn officers. How can we have police reform or even understand these agencies' challenges if they are not part of the national discussions on law enforcement? Focusing on the larger urban agencies provides an inaccurate perception of American policing.
Policing in small, rural, and tribal agencies often look different compared with large urban agencies. However, this unique difference aside, corruption and misconduct in law enforcement are not unique to small agencies by any means, as suggested by some. Across America, the men and women in small, rural, and tribal agencies are as dedicated, professional, and committed to their communities as are their colleagues in larger agencies.
