In December 2019, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Office held a day-long forum to discuss the challeneges of law enforcement recruitment and retnetion and specifically focused on these issues in relation to smaller and more rural law enforcement agencies. The 32 participants included police chiefs, captains, lieutenants, academic experts, researchers, and agency directors of state police standards. The forum's small size allowed for a wide-ranging discussion that focused on the qualities that make an effective police officer, an in-depth examination of wh people leave a department, the most significant challenges to recuiting and retaining officers, and a brainsorming sesssion on the range of strategies these departments use to attract and keep officers. The result was an exchange of ideas and success stories that reflected the unique regional and size differences between the departments.