This week is recognized at National Police Week and while we recall the police who work in larger towns and metropolitan areas, we may forget about the officers that serve in small town, southeastern Iowa.

Doug Conrad is the sole police officer for Keota. He has served Keota for over 26 years, and has only served Keota in his career. He took the position his second year in college.

Conrad talks about being the police officer for Keota and about the importance of cultivating relationships with the town citizens, “It’s tough, you’re on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A good thing, which also makes it more difficult, is your get more involved in people’s lives, you know everybody personally. Yet, this is my hometown, it’s where I grew up, but if you are a police officer in a small town and it does not become your hometown within a short number of years then you’re probably in the wrong place.”

Conrad says about his job, “Probably the most important things I do are spending time at the school with the kids. I’m the D.A.R.E. officer for the school. I’m always down there talking to the little kids, the kindergartners, the preschoolers about wearing their bicycle helmets and stranger danger and all of those kinds of things. That’s probably the most important thing that I do, is getting kids the tools to help them stay happy and healthy and safe.”

What has changed the most while being police officer for over 26 years Conrad says is the increase of violence, citing a couple fatal incidents in Keokuk County in recent years. Conrad also says he is constantly trying to overcome the negative perception of police, though it may not be as prevalent in small towns like Keota.