Guess it depends on who owns the small town. Many teeny towns are owned by a family. Some big towns are owned by a family. Some really big towns can be owned by several "Families".
Won't go into it too much here, but we have a county south of here that is controlled by a politician who has known and reported deviances. He and his young male friends are in the news here pretty much every other week.
He is very powerful politically across the state. He has been in office for 35 years. He is the consummate political back-scratcher. He of course has local law enforcement in his pocket. Not to mention higher-up politicians. Word is lately he has become "defiant." Come and get me, if you can.
Our state ain't great.
