Pandemic could cripple rural police agencies

"As the coronavirus pandemic depletes urban police departments in cities like New York and Detroit, little attention has been paid to their rural counterparts, where even a handful of positive cases could wallop an entire police force," Kristine Phillips reports for USA Today. "The impact on rural police – which made up more than two-thirds of all local police departments in the country in 2016 – could be critical."

Rural law enforcement agencies don't have a deep bench, and can't afford to have many employees out sick. Without police or sheriffs, rural areas would have to police themselves and might not follow social distancing guidelines, said Dwight Henninger, chief of police in Vail, Colorado, a rural skiing mecca with one of the nation's highest infection rates. "This virus is affecting all portions of our society. In a small, rural community, we all interact with each other. … We know the person whose business is closed. We know the kids who are out of school. We know the hospital folks who work long hours," Henninger told Phillips. "The police department is really the fabric of a small community in a lot of ways."

Rural law enforcement agencies must frequently interact with the public, but they're having a hard time finding and paying for enough disinfectant and personal protective equipment to stay safe, Phillips reports. Crime rates have mostly gone down during the pandemic, but some crimes like domestic violence seem to be increasing. Officers have tried to limit their contact with the public and only make arrests when necessary.