Satisfaction with the police in rural and remote communities
Scientific knowledge about police-community relations in rural and remote areas is limited. This paper adds to this knowledge by examining variations in levels of citizen satisfaction with the police across an urban-rural-remote continuum. Using the concepts of structuration theory, I argue that the context of rural and remote communities both restricts and encourages police practises that are different from those used by their urban counterpart and lead to variations in citizen’s perceptions of the police. Based on data from the 2014 General Social Survey (Statistics Canada), my analysis suggests that there are important variations in levels of satisfaction with the police linked to where individuals live. Those in rural communities are more likely to be satisfied with police performance and with their relations with police than those in urban regions, although the level of satisfaction declines as communities become increasingly geographically isolated. These results provide helpful information for developing public policies and police practises that will improve police-community relations.