Mission Statement

The Department's Mission

The Wakefield Police Department exists to serve the community by protecting life and property; by preventing crime; by enforcing the law; and by maintaining order for all citizens. Central to our mission are the values that guide our work and decisions and help us contribute to the quality of life in Wakefield.

Our values are characteristics — or qualities — of work. They are nonnegotiable. Although we may need to balance them, we will never ignore them for the sake of expediency or personal preference. We will always hold our values before us to teach and remind us and the community we serve, of our ideals. They are the foundation upon which our policies, goals and operation are built.

To fulfill our mission, we need the support of our citizens, elected representatives and Town officials. We need their support and cooperation to provide the quality of service we are committed to under these values.

We, the men and women of the Wakefield Police Department value:

  • HUMAN LIFE
  • INTEGRITY
  • LAWS AND CONSTITUTION
  • EXCELLENCE
  • ACCOUNTABILITY
  • COOPERATION
  • PROBLEM SOLVING
  • OURSELVES

HUMAN LIFE

We value human life and dignity above all else. Therefore: We give first priority to any situation which threatens life. We use force only when necessary. We treat all people with courtesy and respect. We are compassionate and caring.

INTEGRITY

We believe integrity is the basis for community trust. Therefore: We are honest and truthful. We are consistent in our beliefs and actions. We hold ourselves up to high standards of moral and ethical conduct. We are role models to the community.

LAWS AND CONSTITUTION

We believe in the principles embodied in our constitution. We recognize the authority of Federal, State and local laws. Therefore: We respect and protect the rights of all citizens. We treat all persons fairly and without favoritism. We are knowledgeable of the law. We obey the law.

EXCELLENCE

We strive for personal and professional excellence. Therefore: We do our best. We have a vision for the future We seek adequate resources: staffing, facilities, equipment, training, salaries and benefits. We recruit and hire the best people We train and develop our employees to reach their highest potential. We are committed to fair and equitable personnel practices. We provide organizational mobility. We recognize and reward good performance. We support reasonable risk taking and are tolerant of honest mistakes. We are receptive to new ideas and change. We work toward realistic, mutually agreed upon goals. We lead by example.

ACCOUNTABILITY

We are accountable to each other and to the citizens we serve, the source of our authority. Therefore: We communicate openly and honestly among ourselves and with the community. We understand the importance of community values and expectations. We are responsive to community concerns. We acknowledge our mistakes and are open to constructive criticism. We manage our resources effectively. We thoroughly investigate complaints against our employees.

COOPERATION

We believe that cooperation and team work will enable us to combine our diverse backgrounds, skills and styles to achieve common goals. Therefore: We work as a team. We understand our role in achieving Department and Town goals and objectives. We share our responsibility to serve the citizens of Wakefield with many other agencies and organizations. We strive to understand those who disagree with us. We seek the help and cooperation of others. We seek to resolve conflicts. We rely on community support and involvement.

PROBLEM SOLVING

We are most effective when we help identify and solve community problems. Therefore: We work to anticipate and prevent problems. We give a high priority to preventing crime and helping citizens feel sake. We actively seek opinions and ideas from others. We plan, analyze and evaluate. We recognize that crime is a community problem. We listen to problems and complaints with empathy and sensitivity. We seek innovative solutions.

OURSELVES

We are capable, caring people who are doing important and satisfying work for the citizens of Wakefield. Therefore: We respect, care for, trust and support one another. We enjoy our work and take pride in our accomplishments. We are disciplined and reliable We keep our perspective and sense of humor. We balance our professional and personal lives. We consult people who will be effected by our decisions. We have a positive "can-do" attitude. We cultivate our best characteristics: initiative, enthusiasm, creativity, patience, competence and judgment.