Small-town policing: How to increase recruitment, decrease crime and improve community relations

Hiring the right people and building a workplace that makes them want to come back to work every day is key to improving both officer retention and community relations, especially in small departments. In this episode, host Jim Dudley chats with Chief James Small who serves as the public safety director for the Village of Palmyra in Wisconsin about police leadership best practices in small departments. Chief Small recently won the 2020 Innovative Approach to Problem-Solving Award from the Wisconsin Policy Forum for his “ISLAND” approach to leadership and policing. Chief Small talks about the ISLAND concept, which stands for inclusion, safety, laughs, authentic accountability, nourishment and direction.