Police -About Us

Mission Statement

The Mission Statement of the Richland Township Police Department models the goals and outlines the objectives that define our reason for being. The purpose of the Mission Statement is to give us a vision, a philosophy, and a direction.

The direction is determined by our vision, that list of values that we strive to attain as individuals and as an agency. The philosophy describes the attitudes and actions we shall have as we move forward in a common direction, for the good of the people of our community and our Commonwealth and our Nation.

It will be the policy of the Richland Township Police Department that we will endeavor to perform all law enforcement and public safety functions in an exemplary manner. We shall strive for excellence in the areas of crime prevention, investigation, apprehension and prosecution; maintenance of public safety, public order, public service; and the regulation of traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian.

We will direct our lives, both in and out of uniform, in a fashion that gives us the utmost credibility to those we serve.

Our Vision & Our Core Values

We shall set values to guide our work, our decisions and our conduct. These values determine the quality of our work and through this, they will affect the quality of life that the people we serve will have. Because of this fact, we must hold the values as non-negotiable, and must always consider them when we take action.

HUMAN LIFE
We value human life above all else. We will give first priority to situations that threaten life.

INTEGRITY
We believe that integrity is the basis for trust. Trust is speaking the truth, time after time. We will be truthful and consistent in our words and actions. We must hold ourselves to high standards of moral and ethical conduct at all times, striving to be role models for our community.

LAWS AND THE CONSTITUTION
We believe in the principles of our Nation's and State's Constitutions. We will respect and protect the rights of all citizens, irrespective of race, religion, nationality or social status. We are knowledgeable of the Law, and enforce it fairly and with common sense and reasonable discretion.

LOYALTY
We believe loyalty is a core value. We will show loyalty to our Country, our Commonwealth, our Township and the Police Department. We will hold ourselves to high standards concerning conversations and discussions, being careful not to undermine the authority over us or to disclose a trust given to us, unless necessary in the fulfillment of our sworn duties. We will strive to serve and respect those who trust us.

DUTY
We will endeavor to fulfill all tasks assigned to us, to do what is expected of us, and to go beyond expectations at every opportunity. We will serve with pride, knowing our calling is to "serve and protect" and the trust given to us by our citizens is a sacred one.

RESPECT
We will treat all persons, regardless of race, sex, ethnic origin, religion, situation or lifestyle, with respect, dignity and compassion.

EXCELLENCE
We strive to do our best. We will seek to recruit, train, develop and sustain our personnel with excellence as our goal. We are receptive to innovation, new ideas and change. We recognize good performance and are tolerant of honest mistakes.

COMMUNICATION
We recognize communication to be a keystone in the function of any agency. We will use clear requests, commands and conversations, striving to assist, build and correct one another with our words. We will make sure our intent is known and endeavor to correct miscommunications and misunderstandings as soon as the mistake is realized. Who made the mistake is not important; the mission of the Department is preeminent.

We will take personalities and situations into consideration, being mindful of diplomacy and tact. We will strive to always commend in public, correct in private.

SERVICE
We will seek ways to serve within our community, both on and off duty. We will realize the importance of the position we hold and endeavor to be role models for those we protect.

HONOR
The position we hold is one of sacred trust. We will behave in such a way as to never sully, disgrace or bring dishonor to our Country, our State, our Municipality, our Department, our Family or ourselves. Our behavior will be above reproach.

ACCOUNTABILITY
We are accountable to each other and to the citizens we serve. We will communicate openly and honestly with the community and among ourselves. We will take responsibility for our actions and acknowledge our mistakes. We will conserve and manage our resources efficiently.

COOPERATION
We believe that cooperation will enable us to combine our diverse backgrounds, skills, and styles to achieve common goals. We will work as a team, sacrificing individual desires for the good of the whole. We strive to understand those with different views, and to resolve conflict. We rely on the help, support and involvement of the community we serve and are always there to aid them in accordance to our mission.

We will cooperate with other Law Enforcement Agencies, Social Services, Governments, and Private organizations for the good of the citizens we serve.

PROBLEM SOLVING
We are most effective when we help to identify and solve community problems. We work to anticipate and prevent problems by our vigilance, our planning, and our involvement with the community and our actions. We will be catalysts to solve the problems that can be solved and to abate those that cannot.

PERSONAL COURAGE
We will have the courage to face the situations that others may flee from. We will have the courage to stand against wrong, to seek to do right, and to protect our citizens from those who would harm them. We will have the courage to maintain the highest standards in our lives, to be a role model for our community, our youth and most importantly, our own families.

OURSELVES
We are capable, caring people who are doing important and satisfying work for the citizens of our Township. We strive to maintain a balance in our lives and to keep a healthy perspective. We face challenges with enthusiasm, and take pride in our accomplishments. We seek to have and to keep a positive attitude, especially in the face of adversity, and to display this positive attitude so others may follow. Most of all, we will respect and support each other, as members of the Richland Township Police Department and as fellow human beings. As we value our contributions to our organization and o ur municipality, so will we be valued in kind.