PLAINS IS LOCATED IN SUMTER COUNTY, ONE OF EIGHT COUNTIES IN THE MIDDLE FLINT AREA PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. IT IS SPARCELY SETTLED WITH 32.1 PERSONS PER SQUARE MILE, COMPARED TO A DENSITY OF 77.95 PER SQUARE MILE FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA. ONLY THREE COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION HAVE POPULATIONS OVER 2500. OUTWARD MIGRATION IS A PROBLEM, AS IS THE LARGE NUMBER OF BLACK FAMILIES LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. THE POPULATION HAS A HIGH PROPORTION OF PERSONS UNDER AGE 20 (42.6 PERCENT) AND OVER AGE 60 (15.1 PERCENT). TOURISM HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED TRAFFIC IN THE AREA BUT HAS HAD LITTLE IMPACT ON CRIME. BECAUSE THE COST OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT SUMTER COUNTY CONSIDER A CONTRACTUAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRANGEMENT. SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCH A CONTRACT ARE MADE. AN ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE EMPLOYMENT OF OFF-DUTY OFFICERS FROM NEARBY CITIES ON WEEKENDS AND DURING VACATION PERIODS WHEN TOURISTS COME TO SEE PRESIDENT CARTER'S HOME. DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUXILIARY FORCE USING CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED. MONEY COULD BE SAVED BY NOT PROVIDING 24-HOUR DISPATCHING SERVICE BUT BY INSTALLING A SWITCHING DEVICE TO PROVIDE DISPATCHING FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFFICE DURING EVENING HOURS. RECORDS ON TOURISM AND INCIDENTS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED TO HELP PLAN FUTURE LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS.