MISSION STATEMENT

In partnership with the citizens of Litchfield, to take the lead in improving the quality of life in the community by committing ourselves and resources to:

· Enforce the local, state, and federal laws in a fair, firm, and impartial manner.

· Deliver the highest quality of police service to the community with the resources given us.

· Perform our duties and tasks with pride, professionalism, integrity, honesty, and respect.

· Maintain a vision for the future, always improving upon our past performance while upholding the time-honored traditions of duty, excellence, and professionalism.

Officers shall respect and protect the rights of individuals and perform their duties with honesty, zeal, courage, discretion, fidelity, sound judgement and common sense.

In carrying out their assigned duties, officers will recognize that:

a. the ability of the police to fulfill their duties is dependent upon public approval of their actions and behavior, and upon securing and maintaining public respect and support;

b. to secure and maintain the support of the public also means to secure willing cooperation and observance of the laws;

c. the extent to which the cooperation of the public can be secured diminshes proportionately with the necessity to resort to physical force and compulsion to achieve police objectives; and

d. the test of police effectiveness shall be their ability to coordinate their efforts with those of other agencies and the public to prevent crime, traffic accidents or disorder. That is, the prevention of any incident requiring police reaction is of greater benefit to the community than the best reaction after the fact.

The officer will seek and preserve public favor, not by subservience to public opinion, but by constantly demonstrating impartial, professional service to all.

He/she shall offer friendly service to all members of the community, without regard to their wealth or social standing. He/she must be prepared at all times to make individual sacrifice as required in order to protect and
preserve human life.

The officer will resort to the use of physical force only when and only to the degree that is absolutely necessary to perform a lawful police function.

The officer is a member of the public who is paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent upon every citizen, in the interest of community welfare.

He/she shall enforce the law, regardless of the circumstances; clearly and impartially record all facts; testify fully when required; and not attempt to adjudge guilt or innocence in fulfilling his sworn duty.