In small towns, even 1 more cop makes a difference – Salon.com
In small towns, one more cop really does make a difference.
In the rural Iowa town of Centerville, just one more officer will help the eight-person department investigate a church burning, a kidnapping case and a slaying that happened last year alone. The single hire in Princess Anne, Md., will fill a second investigator slot. And in Cando, N.D., it will prevent the only two officers from burning out as they try to protect their town 24-7.
“We’re not a very big town, but we’re extremely busy,” Centerville Police Chief Tom Demry said. “We’re one of poorest counties in the state. … We just daily have more than our fair share.”
