Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Howard County Department of Police to provide a sense of security for the people by protecting life and property, reducing the opportunity for crime and disorder, enforcing the law, and providing other police-related services as required by the community in a manner consistent with the values of a free society. The Department embraces the tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police-the police being members of the public who devote full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen.

Values Statement

The Howard County Department of Police has adopted the following value statements:

Integrity

The Department and its personnel can only succeed in their mission if we maintain our integrity. Our authority to deprive people of their life, freedom and property comes from the trust bestowed upon us. Once this trust is broken, by an individual or by the Department, our actions are rightfully called into question. The Department and its employees must hold themselves to a standard that is beyond reproach.

Pride

The Department is a proud institution and works to develop this pride in its sworn, civilian and volunteer personnel. We are proud of our rich tradition of providing quality police services to the residents and visitors of Howard County. We are proud to be a part of a noble profession that is called upon to maintain order in a free society. We are proud of the real partnerships we have with the people we serve. We are proud of the highly motivated, highly trained, and highly respected personnel we have.

Community

The cornerstone of this Department is the relationship we have with the community we serve. Our ability to be effective in carrying out our mission is based on the credibility we have with the community. Understanding that we are a part of, and not separate from, the community is critical. Although we are granted full-time responsibility for policing the community, we cannot do it without the approval and cooperation of the public.

The Department strives to enhance this relationship in several ways: By ensuring that each police contact is carried out fairly and with respect; By seeking input from the public on our programs, procedures and priorities;By being active in community programs and charities.

Departmental Goals

In pursuit of its mission, the Howard County Department of Police sets continuing goals, which include a commitment to:

• Provide the public with reasonable and efficient access to public services.
• Be responsive to calls and identified needs for police services within Howard County 24 hours a day.
• Allocate personnel to obtain maximum utilization of its human resources to meet identified needs.
• Provide staff services for the traditional line functions of the police.
• Maintain a proactive approach toward crime and disorder.
• Maintain flexibility in its strategies toward crime and disorder so that the changing needs of the community may be met.
• Identify criminal activity and act to resolve it.
• Maintain activities to facilitate the orderly flow of people and vehicles within the community.
• Maintain positive interaction with the public and a high degree of visibility within the community.
• Educate the public to the community's role and responsibility in the prevention, detection, and resolution of crime and disorder.
• Promote public confidence in the law enforcement function.
• Conduct an on-going evaluation of its functions and activities to ensure that community needs are being met.
• Utilize effective police-community partnerships to resolve problems collaboratively.
• Develop and maintain ethical and professional standards of conduct and operation.

A Nationally Accredited Law Enforcement Agency

The Police Department obtained national accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) on July 28, 1990.

It is an honor to achieve this status within the law enforcement community and we proudly display the CALEA emblem on our patrol cars and name tags.

The standards established by CALEA help law enforcement agencies:

• Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities.
• Formalize essential management procedures.
• Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices.
• Improve service-delivery.
• Solidify interagency cooperation and coordination.
• Boost citizen and staff confidence in the agency.