Office of the Chief

Dear Residents and Visitors,

As the Chief of the Round Lake Police Department, I have specific organizational and personal beliefs that compose my leadership philosophy. The communication of this leadership philosophy is paramount to the pending success of the organization. Embracing the tenets of modern organizational theories and the ethical application of these tenets, form the baseline of my leadership philosophy. I believe that integrity must be part of your very fiber and the guiding factor in every decision we make. Further, the empowerment of individuals and the collaboration of teams will yield a police service that will best serve the mission of the police department and therefore the interests of the community and stakeholders. I make a personal commitment to apply my beliefs and this leadership philosophy to every aspect of my influence with the common goal of a successful police department and a safe community.

My vision for the police department is simple: The Round Lake Police Department will be a leader in the law enforcement community and will set the standard that other agencies will strive to achieve.

To accomplish this vision, we must have a mission statement and organizational values that will guide the department on a daily basis. Through the collaboration of the Strategic Planning Team, the following has been drafted:

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Round Lake Police Department is to ensure the safety and welfare of citizens and visitors of Round Lake by providing the finest law enforcement services possible.

ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES

The accomplishment of our mission will be guided by the application of these organizational values:

Principled - We hold ourselves accountable to the following principles: professionalism, responsibility, integrity, devotion and excellence.

Respect - We respect the growing cultural and ethnic diversity of the Round Lake Police Department and the community we serve.

Intrepid - We will fearlessly face danger, risk and hardship with fortitude and endurance.

Distinguished - We will establish ourselves as leaders in the law enforcement community through the pursuit of excellence, dedication to duty and community problem solving.

Evolving - We will develop and foster positive change through enhanced technology, education and training so that our employees will be prepared to meet the future needs of our community.

Further, the Round Lake Police Department has formally adopted the International Association of Chiefs of Police Code of Ethics:

"As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve the community; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all to liberty, equality and justice.

I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all and will behave in a manner that does not bring discredit to me or to my agency. I will maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed both in my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the law and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.

I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, political beliefs, aspirations, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.

I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of police service. I will never engage in acts of corruption or bribery, nor will I condone such acts by other police officers. I will cooperate with all legally authorized agencies and their representatives in the pursuit of justice.

I know that I alone am responsible for my own standard of professional performance and will take every reasonable opportunity to enhance and improve my level of knowledge and competence.

I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession . . . law enforcement."

Yours truly,

Cliffton R. Metaxa
Chief of Police