In Britain, little debate has arisen over the nature of policing in rural counties. Past studies have shown that those living in rural areas hold more positive views of the police than their metropolitan counterparts. This study of the rural county of Cornwall in England examined public perceptions of quality through a survey questionnaire addressing perceptions of police; experiences of crime in the last 13 months; perceptions of crime, disorder, and incivilities; fear of and anxiety over crime and perceptions of safety; views of alternative crime reduction strategies; and personal characteristics of respondents. The survey resulted in 3,752 completed questionnaires. The perception remains that rural police in some ways are a part of the local community. In addition, citizens in the survey tended to distinguish between rural and urban police, seeing more advantages in rural police. Although taken together, the findings indicate that rural residents’ concerns over public safety were accentuated by their concerns that the police in Cornwall were less accessible than those in urban areas and less able to respond in an emergency. Overall, the distinctions drawn were neither extreme nor wide ranging. Tables, notes, references