Value

Highest Commitment

Our highest commitment is toward the protection of life. The police department considers protection of life it's highest priority. Police policy on “use of force” reflects that priority allowing the use of deadly force only to protect the life of the officer or another person.

Quality Public Service

We are committed to providing quality service to the public. Our employees strive to provide a level of service consistent with the highest quality possible. We care that our citizens are satisfied with the level of service we provide. We believe that all citizens have equal access to the services we provide.

Values in Performance

We adhere to democratic values in performing our mission. We believe that the police have a responsibility to protect our democratic way of life. We never violate the law in the pursuit of police objectives.

Responsive to Community Priorities

We are responsive to community and neighborhood priorities. We view our relationship with the community as a partnership, jointly working to solve community problems. We view the San Benito community as being all citizens of the city and the neighboring areas, dependent upon San Benito.

Community Policing Strategies

We seek community participation in development of neighborhood policing strategies. We view problem solving as a team effort between police, schools, religious organizations, community groups and neighborhood groups.

Treatment of People

We treat people with respect, dignity and sensitivity. As police professionals, we seek to ensure:

  • Every citizen is treated with dignity, fairness and respect.
  • Every citizen is treated so as to protect constitutional rights.
  • We will be responsive to the concerns of citizens.
  • We will be compassionate and sensitive when dealing with citizens, regardless of their circumstances.

Employee Job Satisfaction

We care about our employees’ job satisfaction.

  • We view each employee as a valuable member of the department. We will use discipline as a tool for developing and reinforcing positive behavior rather than simply administering punishment, provided that the code of conduct and code of ethics has not been violated.
  • We are committed to assisting each employee in the development of professional and personal competence.
  • We recognize that employee health needs are important to the enhancement of professional job performance.

Accountability

We are accountable to the community for our actions.

  • We recognize that the authority and responsibility we carry is placed with us by the community, and expect to be held accountable for our actions.
  • We will objectively investigate all citizen complaints and make the final results available to the community we serve, upon request.
  • We will be open and honest in our dealings with representatives of the media, expecting that they will likewise be fair in their representation of key police issues.