Policing Philosophy

Policing Philosophy

The Mission of the Harwood Heights Police Department, in cooperation with our community, is to protect life and property, and enhance the quality of life for all of our citizens.

To accomplish this mission, we hold the following values that guide our work and decisions to be true and non-negotiable:

Human Life: We revere human life and dignity above all else.

Respect: We respect the cultural and ethnic diversity of the department and community that we serve and protect. We strive for sensitivity to, and an understanding of this diversity.

Integrity: We believe that integrity is the basis for personal and public trust.

Constitution and Laws: We believe in the principles embodied in the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois. We recognize the authority of federal, state and local laws.

Excellence: We strive for personal and professional excellence, dedication to duty, and service to the public.

Accountability: We are accountable to each other and to the citizens we serve, who are the sources of our authority.

Cooperation: We believe that cooperation among ourselves, members of the community, governmental entities and other law enforcement agencies will enable us to combine our diverse backgrounds, skills and styles to achieve common goals.

Ourselves: We are capable, caring people who perform important and satisfying work for our community.

Problem Solving: We are most effective in our work when we identify and solve problems. In this way, we not only help the community we serve and protect, but we make the Harwood Heights Police Department more efficient and responsive.

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