María Elvira Salazar: “I have often referred to our rural communities as "the forgotten America." Indeed, rural America is the backbone of our…”

“I have often referred to our rural communities as "the forgotten America." Indeed, rural America is the backbone of our country--but is too often neglected by policymakers and politicians who have lost touch with people in the heartland. Nowhere is this neglect felt more acutely than in small-town law enforcement agencies--which have been confronted with decreased funding, increased homeland security responsibilities, and the great toll of a meth epidemic that is devastating rural America. Many people do not realize that most American law enforcement agencies serve rural communities or small towns. Indeed, of the nearly 17,000 police agencies in the United States, 90 percent serve a population of under 25,000 and operate with fewer than 50 sworn officers. I am well aware of the difficulties small town law enforcement agencies face day-in, day-out. The growing demands on rural law enforcement, and shrinking budgets, have hit training programs particularly hard. Many rural law enforcement agencies simply do not have the budget to provide officers with adequate training.”