THERE ARE FEWER THAN 10,000 PEOPLE IN THE 240 SQUARE MILES OF DECATUR COUNTY, AND THE TAX BASE IS NARROW. THE COUNTY'S ASSESSED VALUATION OF $139 MILLION MAKES IT THE SECOND POOREST COUNTY IN IOWA. FACTORS LEADING UP TO THE UNIFIED SYSTEM WERE AS FOLLOWS: (1) INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 35, A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN KANSAS CITY, MO., DES MOINES, IOWA, AND MINNEAPOLIS, MINN,; (2) HOSTAGE TAKING IN A BANK ROBBERY CASE; AND (3) EMERGENCE OF RURAL AREAS IN THE COUNTY AS FAVORITE CRIMINAL HAUNTS. THE STATE CRIME COMMISSION AGREED TO PROVIDE $170,000 IN LEAA FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE COUNTYWIDE PROJECT FOR 3 YEARS. A CENTRALIZED COMPUTER TERMINAL WAS INSTALLED AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND PERSONNEL RECEIVED MORE TRAINING AND HIGHER SALARIES. A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION WAS ORGANIZED WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH TOWN AND THE COUNTY. TOWN AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT AGREED TO GIVE A CERTAIN PORTION OF TAXES TO SUPPORT THE UNIFIED SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. THE COST OF THE SYSTEM WAS CONSIDERABLE, ABOUT $160,000 A YEAR. RESPONSIBILITY FOR FULLY OPERATING THE SYSTEM FELL ON LOCAL TAXPAYERS IN 1976 WHEN LEAA FUNDING TERMINATED, AND IT IS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE. IT IS HOPED THAT SOME TYPE OF PERMANENT FUNDING ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE AMONG VARIOUS GOVERNMENTS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE UNIFIED COUNTYWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM. (DEP)