ABSTRACT
Introduction The majority of law enforcement agencies in the United States are small agencies with
fewer than 25 officers (Hickman & Reaves, 2003). This means there is a great likelihood
that many officers will, at some point in their careers, work for a small to medium-sized
agency. Because of vast variations in agency sizes, it is difficult to generalize information
that fits appropriately with all agency sizes. Nonetheless, an overview of issues that
accompany managing smaller agencies can be helpful for potential supervisors in these
agencies.