-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 IgG3GAON0pkOVKMh9F9kU5BURBGvJVDGYsZaXn3dcP+xpVr1EvURigxNWvCStjmm
 XKFqHrscha138L0OMltNag==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-05-065546.txt : 20051208
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-05-065546.hdr.sgml : 20051208
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20051208163025
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-05-065546
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20051206
FILED AS OF DATE:		20051208
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20051208

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LANDON BARRY D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001172615

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-22056
		FILM NUMBER:		051252742

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O RURAL METRO CORP
		STREET 2:		8401 E INDIANA SCHOOL RD
		CITY:			SCOTTSDALE
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85251

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RURAL/METRO CORP /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000906326
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	LOCAL & SUBURBAN TRANSIT & INTERURBAN HWY PASSENGER TRAINS [4100]
		IRS NUMBER:				860746929
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0630

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		9221 EAST VIA DE VENTURA
		CITY:			SCOTTSDALE
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85258
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4806063886

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		9221 EAST VIA DE VENTURA
		CITY:			SCOTTSDALE
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85258

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	RURAL METRO CORP /DE/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930528
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd99438.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-12-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000906326</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>RURAL/METRO CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RURL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001172615</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LANDON BARRY D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>9221 E. VIA DE VENTURA</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SCOTTSDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AZ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>85258</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr. VP - Nat'l Billings &amp; Coll</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-12-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.50</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19303</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-12-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.70</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2303</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.50</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-12-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2005-12-06</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-08-21</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-08-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>17000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Exercise and sale of Employee Stock Options (right to buy) through the issuer's approved 1992 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan.  These options were exercisable in increments of 10,000 beginning on the grant date and thereafter on each anniversary date until fully vested on August 21, 2002.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the number of issuer Employee Stock Options (right to buy) held by the reporting person upon filing THIS Form 4 and after the exercise and sale of the 17,000 shares in THIS transaction is deducted as reported in Table I of this Form 4.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Barry D. Landon</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-12-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----