I would not live in a small town or rural community any more. I was a cop for almost 12 years, in a city police department, State Police agency, and very rural sheriff's Dept., in that order. The most dangerous was for the sheriff's dept. There wasn't a town over 2,500 in the whole county, and the county population was 1/7th of the first city's population I worked at. But the whole county was full of bums and dirtbags and lowlifes. Every time I checked for criminal history on some one, it came back multiple hits. I worked there 6 months and quit. Not only was that county the most dangerous place I had ever worked, They were also the cheapest. I was making $1375.00 A MONTH, no overtime. The 6 months I worked there I saw more action than the previous 11 years at a city and state agency. You can keep your small town living, I'll stay in the city where it's safer for my kids!
OJF